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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23765383">Etsuko Hizuri</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/m4g3rul3z/pseuds/m4g3rul3z'>m4g3rul3z</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Skip Beat!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Generations of Idiots, I'm so done waiting for Skip Beat to end, OCs galore, Original Character(s), Redemption, many OCs - Freeform, that I've spent 10 years dreaming of the canon story</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:08:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>80,079</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23765383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/m4g3rul3z/pseuds/m4g3rul3z</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Skip Beat's favourite couple start a family, who knew it'd be this insane? And really, can any teenage daughter of two stars have a normal life? Or fall in love without being trampled by paparazzi? Buckle your seatbelts, because sometimes even if you let the past go, it can still affect your future.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mogami Kyoko/Tsuruga Ren, OC/OC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"ETSUKO HIZURI! WAKE UP!" A shrill voice pierced through my peaceful slumber, shrieking my name and shattering a few glass panes in the process. "Have you been paying any attention for the past hour?"</p><p>"Itsuki sensei, how many times do you want me to tell you, the reciprocal of x is 10. May I go back to sleep now?" I drawled without glancing at the whiteboard or textbook, knowing full well that my answer was sufficient to keep him from disturbing me for the next hour.</p><p>"Who IS she?"</p><p>"Some genius student sent here to make our lives miserable!"</p><p>I chuckled silently as my exasperated teacher turned his back on me and returned to the front of the class, as the rest of the students whispered behind his back. It was amusing being the new "genius" transfer student, the mysterious one that had come all the way from America but was well versed in Japanese anyway. Nobody here knew about me, but if they did, they would have stopped wondering about my golden hair that was swept into a lazily tied ponytail. The only one in this new school that had an inkling about my identity was currently down the hall in one of the classrooms for seniors, probably sleeping through algebra, or getting berated for doing so.</p><p>Before I could return constructing my extravagant castle in the sky that I had been building for the past week, there was one comment that took me aback, as I realised my cover could be blown any minute. I peeked through my heavy eyelids and caught sight of a boy with jet black hair, sporting a smirk that was eerily familiar, and I tried to place a finger on it as I recalled what he had just said.</p><p>"She looks a lot like Mogami Kyoko when she was a starlet, doesn't she?"</p><p>...</p><p>My name is Etsuko Hizuri, and I'm 16 years old. My past 15 odd years were spent in America, and back then I was taken care of by my grandparents, who have been happily giving the press a run for their money by frequently sneaking in and out of retirement. My parents are like two teenagers that can't keep their hands off each other, despite them both being in their forties, and I have two elder brothers who are responsible for half the swooning female fans at any major film event. That's a brief summary of my family tree in under a hundred words. And let me tell you, that tree is full of nuts.</p><p>Thanks to my parents' much hyped wedding, my brothers had been automatically thrust into the blinding limelight when they were born two years apart from each other. Right now, Kaitou and Kichirou are 22 and 20 respectively. Father always liked the sea, and Mother always had a penchant for liking names that suggested flying, although she never told me why. They chose Kaitou for my eldest brother, with 'Kai' meaning the sea or ocean, and 'tou' that meant 'to soar'. Though he can swim rather well, Kaitou abhors heights, and this has always led Kichirou and I to tease him about his inability to board roller coasters that go above two metres. Kichirou (lucky star) (cue gags) should have been named 'Nagareboshi' (shooting star) instead, thanks to his thrill seeking side that takes him bungee jumping around the world at least twice a year. How he managed to convince Mother to let him do so is still an unsolved mystery.</p><p>You must be wondering then, what I am doing in Japan. Unlike my brothers, my parents decided to give me a say about the limelight business. They let me live with my grandparents in America, and did well in shielding me from the press for a decade and a half. Father kept his stage name, and Mother, Kaitou and Kichirou adopted it. They were international stars by the time, but always found a way to see me each month. Mother even made me dolls of everyone else in Japan. They were scarily detailed, and till this day I have a feeling that the five year old me did not need to know how many moles Father had on his butt.</p><p>However, though my schoolmates had no clue about my parents' fame, the very reason that I was both well off and living with my grandparents made them suspicious of me, and I was unable to make friends. My brothers warned me about the hassle fame would bring once I returned to Japan, but I knew that I wanted to be with my parents and see even my brothers in action for once, instead of being hidden away. Mom and Dad were afraid I was feeling left out, and they were right, even though I didn't like to admit it, after all they had done for me.</p><p>So here I was, a week into my life in Japan, and on the verge of being discovered.</p><p>...</p><p>"Tadaima, Okasan," I heaved my school bag and put in near the door of my room, that was yet to be repainted from the baby pink it was for the past 15 years.</p><p>"Etsuko! Okairi!" Mother chirped.</p><p>I could tell Mom was glad I was back. She always called me her little princess, and insisted she take some days off for the next two weeks to welcome me back and settle me in. Father was voluntarily drowning himself in work as usual, and Yashiro-san was glad that his daughter's return was enough to get him to eat proper dinners at least. Grandma had taught me a thing or two about the kitchen, which Grandpa corrected in a flash, so as to preserve the lives of both current and future Hizuris. I helped Mom with the rest of dinner, and when my ridiculously tall father stepped into the house, I decided to practice a little give and take – take a bath, and give them privacy for whatever they wanted to do. My brothers frequently warned me about this, and this was a great time to take their advice. I had barely entered the bathroom when Dad had already skilfully turned Mom into jelly, and was going in for some more.</p><p>Fifteen minutes later, I stepped out of the steaming bathroom, drying my hair with one of my mother's old towels. My parents were still at it, and though I couldn't see them, Kichirou's voice warned me from coming into the living room unprepared.</p><p>"Come on Dad! Aren't you a little old for that? Get a room at least!"</p><p>I grinned. Kichirou had been away for filming, and it would be the first time I would be seeing him since last year.</p><p>"Tadaima, Okasan, Otousan, I will now go wash my eyes with the strongest detergent we have at home."</p><p>Kaitou was back too! I felt like a little girl, hearing each member of my family all at once. It was a treat, and I could not remember the last time since their conflicting schedules had allowed them all to be together. They've...they've probably been able to spend years like this. Thoughts crept into my head, reminding me of the stark differences between us. I glanced around at the walls of the house, adorned with Oscars, certificates, professional photographs taken of my alluring family.</p><p>"Now boys, go play with your sister. Okasan and I will...set up the table," Father stated mischievously.</p><p>"Etsuko's back already? ETTTSUUUUUU!" Kichirou's footsteps pounded on the wooden floorboards moments before I was greeted with a giant bear hug.</p><p>I swear Kichirou grows ten centimetres every time I see him after a long while. He was nearly as tall as Otousan, and was able to crush every bone in my body while lifting me off the ground in the process.</p><p>"Kichirou, don't kill our only sister. She's the only sane one in this family," Kaitou flashed a blinding smile, "plus, I want a hug too."</p><p>Squirming my way out of Kichirou's embrace, I launched myself into Kaitou's arms. It was safe to say that most women would kill to be in my shoes at that moment, as I tightened my arms around Kaitou, burying my face in his soft black hair, and then stuck my tongue out at Kichirou.</p><p>"I'd choose Japan's most desirable man over Japan's second most desirable man anytime!" I grinned cheekily, trying my best to aggravate my blond-haired brother by quoting the latest statistics.</p><p>"But he's taken isn't he," Kichirou skilfully brushed aside my insult, seemed deep in thought, and then raised an eyebrow at Kaitou, "what's this I hear about you and Megumi Kotone?"</p><p>"Kaitou's in love with that new talent from his latest drama?" I remembered the outstanding performance she gave, and commended my brother for his good taste, "so when's the wedding?"</p><p>"She's just a year older than you, Etsuko," he sighed and looked forlornly into the distance, "and I'm not a paedophile. Megumi's way too young for me."</p><p>"That's what Otousan thought too, and our existence is living proof that that statement is unfounded. The very fact our father is out in the living room attacking our mother shows that age doesn't matter. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, because at this rate we'll get another sibling instead of dinner," Kichirou glanced worriedly at the dining room.</p><p>Kaitou looked disdainfully at Kichirou, while pulling me back into a hug and sticking his tongue out at my second brother for good measure. They were quick to ask me questions about school and how I was finding Japan, and I answered them cheerfully. I realised Kaitou was almost an exact replica of Father, save his eyes which were golden, and his hair which was black. Like me, Kichirou had inherited Father's blond locks and dark eyes, but his face was shaped more like Mother's, giving him a pretty boy look. Unfortunately, they were both dazzling in their own right, and I felt inferior in comparison. Maybe that's why I'm not in showbiz; I'd just ruin their image of a perfect family.</p><p>"Dinner's ready!" We heard Mother's eternally bubbly voice call us to the dining room, and we rushed to the table, hungry for a rare meal of home-cooked food.</p><p>Just as we were about to sit down at the mahogany table for our dinner, the phone rang out in shrill, equally separated rings, and my mother made her way to the electronic device, and then answered it.</p><p>"Yes, this is the Tsuruga household, and you are looking for..." Mother's golden eyes widened in absolute shock, and the entire household seemed to be frozen in time.</p><p>"There is no such person here. I'm sorry."</p><p>Mother's terse voice lingered in the air as she put down the receiver, then glanced at us across the room, before they settled on me and pierced through my very heart and soul.</p><p>"Etsuko, who did you tell?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Etsuko! Why have you been hiding away all these years?"</p><p>"What will you be doing now, seeing as you have no experience in acting?"</p><p>The flashes blinded me, and I felt the floor give way underneath my feet. I stumbled around, desperate for something to cling on to, something that wouldn't collapse when I needed it the most. Something warm propped me up, and I grasped blindly at it. Kichirou. Kichirou's arm. It supported me for a while, and I felt safe among the scores of paparazzi for a moment, before being violently torn away like a helpless newborn from its mother. The people I loved came into view, but their faces were twisted with hate and scorn.</p><p>"You're too ugly to be with us!" Kaitou?</p><p>"You don't belong here! Go back to where you came from!" Ki...Kichirou...</p><p>"I never considered you to be my child." Outosan!</p><p>I watched in utter shock as Okasan advanced towards me, with a smirk that I had only seen once before in a drama she had acted in called 'Box R'. It chilled me to the bone. Cold, so cold.</p><p>"Etsuko, my little princess, I only kept you away from the limelight because I was ashamed of you. Did you honestly think I was sparing a thought for your welfare?"</p><p>They faded to black, leaving me stunned and trapped in the darkness. I jolted upright, and found myself in my bedroom. My futon had been thrust to an obscure corner of the room, which was rather bare since it was yet to be fully furnished. Now, it would never be. Memories of my recent nightmare attacked my defenceless mind, which I needed to clear badly. I shrugged off my pyjamas and slipped on a long pair of cargo pants and a hoodie, then snuck past my brothers' empty rooms into the hallway. They had both moved out when they were eighteen, renting their own apartments with the money they had earned from work. Hoping that Okasan and Otousan were sound asleep, I tiptoed out of the front door and into the breezy autumn night.</p><p>...</p><p>Tucking my hands into the pockets of my pants, I rounded the corner, and tried to stick to the brightly lit areas. The Okasan in my dreams was far from the one I knew. My fears were unfounded. I would not have to show myself in public, and humiliate my family in the process. Etsuko Tsuruga. It sounded weird just saying it. I wasn't like my brothers; my legs didn't go for miles on end. Unlike the new actresses pouring into LME's building each day, my chest was flatter than a sushi conveyor belt doing overtime.</p><p>I remembered the way my mother had looked at me after the phone call. She didn't mean to blame me for that unexpected interruption, and I understood that she wanted to keep my identity under wraps until I was completely sure I wanted, or at least didn't mind the press. But the shock was enough to throw her into hysterics, and she started to blame herself for not thinking about the consequences of bringing me back to Japan. Otousan calmed her down soon enough, and I assured her I couldn't have asked for a better mother.</p><p>Kichirou suggested I masquerade as his newest flame, but Otousan dismissed it, saying the press would be even more unforgiving. Kaitou thought that I should break into the acting industry on my own, but even though I enjoyed acting, I wasn't sure it was what I wanted to do for a living. Although it pained Okasan to bring it up, she said that I should move out soon. Living with them would increase the suspicion tenfold. Otousan added that he would get to the root of the rumour and hush it up as much as he could. By the end of dinner, it had been decided that I would be moving to an apartment near my school the next day. Today, for that matter. It was extravagant for a high school girl, but my parents said it was the least they could do for now.</p><p>A chilly breeze made me shiver, and I glanced at the deserted street, realising that I had wandered a little too far from the main road, and had gone beyond the perimeters of the residential area. The unwavering red digits on my wristwatch informed me that it was nearly three in the morning, and it would be best that I head back home. Before I could decide on the direction that would take me back to where I came from, there was a whiff of cheap alcohol in the air. It was faint at first, but the odour became increasingly stifling. My brain tried to put two and two together, but by that time, I had a sickly feeling deep in my stomach that I wouldn't be fond of whatever that would come next.</p><p>"Well well little lady, it's late for a pretty young thing like you to be out," a rough arm pulled me backwards, the stench of alcohol reeking off the drunkard, "I like foreign girls like you, thinking the streets at night are safe."</p><p>I considered my options. The first would be to run off screaming, which I had neither the energy nor strength to accomplish, and the bulging biceps on his grotesque arm hinted at the massive amount of strength that this drunk might have. The second would be to put my amateur acting skills to the test, and beat him at his own game. No drunk would have control over his wits, and right now he was probably expecting me to resist his advances. I barely recognised the Etsuko that spoke the following words so alluringly.</p><p>"I know what you want, but it's going to cost you."</p><p>His grip relaxed, and I turned to face him with an authoritative glare. Stepping back with a hint of shock and amusement in his hungry gaze, the lecher regained his smug composure and I took it as a cue to walk around him, trying to lock his gaze onto mine.</p><p>"I'll show you a good time," I tried to hide my anxiety and grazed his tattooed arm lightly with my fingertips, feeling the repulsive man shudder at my touch, "close your eyes, count to ten."</p><p>I swore if my voice was any more syrupy than this, I would have gotten sick in no time. It pained me that the first seduction I was carrying out was on a drunkard from whom I was trying my best to escape. I saw his eyelids flutter in frustration, and the innocent Etsuko that I had locked away from this scene was screaming inside me, begging my legs to carry me far away from this.</p><p>"Uh-uh, no peeking," I chastised, "count out loud. Slowly."</p><p>"One...two..." he started obediently.</p><p>The bushes on the right next to the playground caught my eye. I could make it there while he was still in this stupor. I turned on my heels, hoping he didn't hear the squeak my converse shoes made for a split second on the gravel.</p><p>"Three...four...five..."</p><p>The cold air rushed past me, making the swings move a little.</p><p>"Six...seven...eight..."</p><p>Almost there.</p><p>"YOU DAMN WOMAN! HOW DARE YOU LIE TO ME! ALL YOU FEMALES ARE THE SAME!"</p><p>Shit.</p><p>My face pounded into the gravel, and the world went black.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I was wondering when you'd wake up," a mellow voice echoed through the loud throbbing in my head.</p><p>The events in my mind were jumbled up. Ever have that feeling when you open a brand new jigsaw puzzle box, and the picture meant to be constructed by each of the thousand or so pieces was a never-ending sky cape of blue, and you were left confounded on which piece went where? That was how it felt like.</p><p>One thing I knew for sure though, was that I couldn't be in heaven. Even though the voice I just heard seemed to be coming from an angel, I still felt dizzy and my muscles were aching all over. My eyes were bleary and I reached out to rub them, but I felt a gentle touch of a warm hand that rested on mine, stopping my fists from reaching anywhere near my face.</p><p>"Don't make your eyes red before I even get a chance to see them," the angel cooed, and I relented.</p><p>"Who are you?" I inquired groggily, "What happened?"</p><p>"I believe I'm the person who just saved your life, and possibly your virginity as well, though I'm not sure about the latter. You are pretty mysterious."</p><p>The mist in my mind made itself scarce, and I realised that the last thing I remembered was being tackled to the ground by a lecher twice my size and with, unfortunately, at least half his wits. I hadn't anticipated that he would have suspected me at the count of eight or so, and the miscalculation on my part had cost me my consciousness. But that barely explained why I was now in the arms of another male, thankfully nowhere near as disgusting as that drunkard. On the other hand, anyone that could crack a joke about my virginity or lack thereof after saving me from statutory rape wasn't someone I should be getting too comfortable with either. I struggled to lift myself up into a sitting position, but my headache and sore limbs got the better of me and I slumped back down into his lap like a lifeless rag doll.</p><p>"Hey, you okay?"</p><p>I could hear concern in his voice. It was calming, melodious. Familiar. It was familiar too. I wondered where I had heard it before.</p><p>My heavy eyelids cranked open, and I turned to see my saviour/possibly another potential rapist. Black hair...blue eyes...strong, taut jaw line...that smirk. I knew that smirk.</p><p>"There they are. Dark and smouldering. I knew your eyes would be beautiful," his smirk grew a little wider, "don't keep them hidden away so often in class, Etsuko."</p><p>"Ah. I knew I'd seen you before somewhere," it clicked and the light bulb in my head glowed, as I managed to sit upright on the bench.</p><p>I turned back to him and noticed that he seemed rather disappointed at my reaction.</p><p>"Most girls would have swooned at my previous sentence."</p><p>"I'm not most girls."</p><p>"True. Most girls would not seduce a buff and completely drunk stranger at three in the morning on a deserted street."</p><p>He had seen that? And he didn't do anything about it till my head had been smashed against the cold concrete?</p><p>"Most guys would help immediately when they see a damsel in distress," my voice dripped with disdain.</p><p>"Most guys would have seen the distress. You looked so smug, I sincerely thought I would be watching live pornography."</p><p>"Most guys would not have said that aloud."</p><p>"I'm not most guys."</p><p>"Touché."</p><p>A comfortable silence wrapped around us, and I followed his lead as he looked into the sky. It was a deep blue canvas, dotted with stars that shone brightly, something I rarely saw in America, with the lights in the city at night being too intense to see anything else in the sky. I relaxed and let my neck rest on the curve of the metal bench. He shifted a little, and when I turned towards him, I could see that small grin forming on his face again, though he continued gazing at the huge orbs of hydrogen gas burning billions of miles away. Where had he come from? Who was he? I wondered about him. If I was mysterious, then he would be part of a cryptic prophecy from ancient Egypt or the like. At this point, I was too tired to ask any questions, and the silence was not only comfortable, it was no doubt comforting as well. Almost too soon, he slowly heaved himself from the bench, then turned to me and ruffled my hair a bit.</p><p>"I guess I'll be seeing you in another four hours. Stay out of trouble till then, okay?"</p><p>He seemed to be around Kaitou's height, at least a good 1.8 metres, I estimated as he got up from the bench. Watching him grab a black guitar case, I noticed his arms were lean and muscular, and I assumed he had taken care of the repulsive drunk. He gave me one last smile and turned away. As it hit me that I had yet to thank him or get at least a name, he had already disappeared down the street, leaving me alone once again.</p><p>I glanced around the park I was in. I was absolutely sure I had walked at least an hour in one direction – away from home. Yet, this wasn't the same playground I was in before, and as I squinted to focus on a nearby sign, I realised home was just half a block away.</p><p>...</p><p>It was almost 4.30 when I returned to the Tsuruga residence. I made the extra effort to wipe off any mud on my shoes, and remove any trace of my absence. My parents had incredible eyes for detail, with them having years of experience developing characters, from their personalities right down to their underwear. I heard from Kaitou that Otousan had nearly crushed Okasan's foot while pretending to be two different characters, even without the presence of any cameras. If they found anything amiss in the morning, my head would be on the chopping block. I threw my clothes back into the cupboard, spraying a little deodorant to eradicate the slight odour of alcohol, and then went to the bathroom for a shower. Deciding against going back to sleep, I formulated a believable story that I woke up early to start packing for my move to the apartment. I began compressing the rest of my clothes and belongings into the suitcase that was still half unpacked since my move from America.</p><p>At approximately seven, sunlight began streaming in, and the smell of eggs and miso soup in the kitchen wafted around the house, and eventually found its way into my room. My stomach grumbled a little, informing me that it wanted food, and it wanted it fast. I set aside the rest of packing for later, although my mind was far from the move that would happen that afternoon. Settling down at the table after greeting my mother with a bright smile, I shovelled the food down, my grandfather's eating habits having rubbed off on me after spending the last decade or so with him. After my fourth bowl of rice, I felt a little too troubled to finish my normal six bowls, and assured my parents that everything was fine, just that I didn't feel hungry that morning. It was true anyhow, and Otousan offered to drive me to school, or at least a block away where we wouldn't be seen.</p><p>Otousan had demanded a kiss on the cheek before I left the car, and I complied, seeing that he would not get kisses from any women other than Okasan. That, and also if I didn't, he would turn his uber scary gentleman's smile on me. None of my family members could withstand the sheer demonic force of that beam, though Okasan had developed her defence over the years, and usually called on Setsuka to deflect it. But when he caught any of us off guard, we were as good as gone.</p><p>As I made my way to school a little further down the street, I began running through the events that had occurred within the past few hours. I would discover the identity of my frank classmate soon enough, but there were two other pressing issues that I couldn't take my mind off. It could have been pure chance that he was there to save me, but it was strange enough that any high schooler would be out on the streets of an obscure part of town at the wee hours of the morning, carrying nothing but a guitar. The second point of contention that I had was how he had known where I lived, and also, how had I gotten there. I had been at least a good three kilometres or so away from home, but when I woke up to that lullaby of a voice that he had, I was less than five minutes away from the house I was staying at. Taxis were as rare as spotted leopards; buses and trains had gone extinct like a pack of dodo birds since 1am. All at once, something clicked.</p><p>Had he...carried me the whole way?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I looked at him from across the classroom. My seat at the back had proved effective in sleeping through the boring classes, save the demonic mathematics head, Itsuki sempai. Most of the syllabus had been taught in America, and the change of language affected me to a rather small extent. Thus, I had been sleeping most of my school hours away, but thanks to the strange turn of events early this morning, my thoughts were now fully occupied with him.</p><p>I wondered if all high school Japanese guys were the same. Sure, they'd probably rescue a girl from a rapist, but I doubted that any would bother to find out where she lived, and then carry her all the way back, without even waiting for her to regain consciousness. Heck, I doubted that any high schooler, regardless of their gender, would be roaming the back alleys of Japan at 3am, so what were the chances of rape in the first place?</p><p>His white shirt was loose around the waist, and had been left carelessly untucked. I compared this to the outfit he had worn yesterday, no, more like this morning. It was vague in my memory, fuzzy was a good word to describe it (my memory, not his clothes), but I did recall seeing him in a t-shirt and a jacket that suited his figure well. His jeans were well worn, frayed a little where they made contact with the road, but the black uniform pants he donned now were smart enough to pass attire check. The rest was a blur, but he looked as laid back now as he did in the early morning. My gaze trailed from his raven hair to his hands. His right palm was supporting his face as he stared into the vast blue sky from his window seat, clearly uninterested in our English teacher. As she prattled on about nouns and verbs, I watched as he tapped his feet to an unknown beat while scribbling something on a well worn leather-bound book every other minute. The pencil in his left hand looked well used too.</p><p>"Psst, Etsuko-chan," a heavily accented voice seemed to demand my attention.</p><p>"Yeah?" I turned to the classmate on my left, her chocolate eyes twinkling with mischief. Name, name, what was her name? The kanji on the paper she held in her smooth, petite hands caught my eye. "Akane Sakura-san, right?"</p><p>She looked rather flattered that I had 'remembered' her name, but I wasn't about to tell her I had just glanced at her worksheet for a hint.</p><p>"Good memory, I'm impressed," her big eyes suddenly seemed inquisitive, "you've been staring at Yuuichi the whole day, you know."</p><p>At this point, about four other girls with impeccably acute hearing seemed to have turned our way, smiling just as Sakura was, though theirs was verging on condescending. In fact, they looked like carbon copies of Sakura, their hair and clothes identical to a T. Yuuichi, was it? It fit. He was rather distant, and must be the first son of his family. Sakura continued with whatever she had to say, and this time, her voice was laced with a subtle warning.</p><p>"Are you...interested?"</p><p>Now, I knew what she was hinting at, but I decided that ambiguity would be answered with ambiguity. I liked being straightforward with others, but only if they didn't beat about the bush while talking to me. If this seemingly harmless conversation turned into a war of words, I wanted her to be the one waving a white flag, and a huge one at that.</p><p>"Well, that depends," I beamed back at her, "are you?"</p><p>She seemed stunned, and I heard a collective gasp from her clones, along with a couple of wide eyed stares from classmates a row in front. I knew I had hit the nail right smack on the head, and it seemed like something had pierced through Sakura too, as she flinched. Instead of moving back, she leaned towards my desk, and her slender arm shot out to grab mine just above the elbow.</p><p>"I see that a ... diplomatic approach will not work with you," she hissed like a highly venomous snake that had been provoked, "you WILL stay away from Yuuichi, or the rest of your life in Youdai High will be a living hell."</p><p>Scrap the snake. She was a cranky cat that had lost one too many lives, and was now working for the devil to repay her debts. Her claws, all five ridiculously long and sharp manicured nails, sank into my flesh, and I suspected she had filed them into points for this very reason. I give her credit for choosing a spot that inflicted the most pain, but the scars would be hidden by my sleeve when, or if she ever let go. It hurt, but I had learned to control and feign emotions from the very best, and was careful to show no trace of fear or shock.</p><p>"In that case, I'm interested," I smiled sweetly at her.</p><p>"What?" The barely controlled screech came as she dug her nails into my skin even more, and I swore she had drawn blood.</p><p>"I'm in-te-res-ted," I repeated slowly, enunciating all my syllables like she was low on the IQ count. "There, I've answered your original question. Would you like to ask me anything else?"</p><p>I loved the flabbergasted look on her face, as well as the replicas of it on her minions, but I had a feeling I just made my first mortal enemy. Though I'd much rather she be my enemy than my friend. Sakura continued to torture my arm, and I wondered if her nails would break from the intense pressure she was putting into her grip.</p><p>"Etsuko, you can get to know Akane-san better before or after my class, preferably not during," she scowled at me, and then grinned brightly at Sakura, "was Etsuko disturbing you?"</p><p>"Hitomi sempai...Etsuko...she...she wanted to copy my answers for the piece of work you just gave!" Sakura's face had morphed into one of a maligned puppy. "Even though she's from America, my English is better than hers, and she's jealous!"</p><p>I felt my gag reflexes act up.</p><p>"HIZURI ETSUKO! Cheating is not condoned in this school! I'll be seeing you in detention!"</p><p>Wait. What about my side of the story? Even the teachers in America seemed less liberal with those blasted detention slips. I had never gotten one in my life, and here I was, getting one within the first week of my school in my motherland. I turned back to the vicious girl who had resumed her scornful gaze.</p><p>"I warned you. You'll be sorry you even tried anything with me," she chuckled ominously, "too bad. With your sharp tongue, I could have considered making you one of my closer friends. I always need people like you around, but without the crush on my Yuuichi."</p><p>Suddenly, a loud snore was heard from the left side of the classroom. All thirty nine students and one irate teacher turned to its source, and found a black-haired sleeping beauty next to an open window. We could feel the heat of an erupting volcano, and the subject of Sakura's affections was slapped with detention by Hitomi sempai for sleeping in class.</p><p>The bell rung and the teacher dismissed the class, before slamming detention slips on both Yuuichi's desk and mine. My plans to shift whatever belongings I had to the apartment were automatically scrapped, and I sighed in contempt while rubbing the stinging spot on my right arm. I lifted my bag with my left, thankfully still intact, and walked out into the hallway, staring at the slip. It made no mention about where the room was, only that if I wasn't there within the next ten minutes I would be serving another week's worth of it. I scanned the numerous signs, but someone else caught my eye and I grinned widely.</p><p>"HIKARU!" I waved with my left arm, and the brown haired senior hurriedly came to my side.</p><p>Yashiro Hikaru was like my third brother, and I dare say I had spent more time with him than my actual blood brothers. Whenever Otousan came to America for each year's quarterly photo shoot, Hikaru would accompany me at home while our fathers worked. He told me all about how my family was doing in Japan, the life he had in school, the running away from middle school girls when they found out his dad worked alongside THE Tsuruga Ren. In exchange, I confided in him about my loneliness in America, and one or two immature school girl crushes I had kept secret from everyone else.</p><p>"ETSU!" He flashed me a blinding smile and pulled me into a hug, oblivious to the throngs of girls that had already begun whispering.</p><p>I flinched as he grasped my arm, and to my dismay, he noticed it. Anxiousness was wallpapered over the joy on his face, the same expression he made whenever I scraped a knee while climbing a tree, or tripped over my own feet. I bit my lower lip as he squinted suspiciously at my right arm, and then raised the sleeve of the white shirt.</p><p>"Etsuko, what the heck happened?" He asked, barely concealing his anger.</p><p>"I'll tell you if you'll show me the way to detention," I heaved another sigh and waved the detention slip in front of his shocked face.</p><p>...</p><p>"I'm not just pissed at Sakura, I'm furious with your classmates. I can't believe nobody told you that she's the daughter of the school's leading monetary donor," Hikaru spat as we neared the detention room. "She gets whatever she wants, and the teachers worship the ground she walks on, just because she's got her dad wrapped around that bony finger of hers. She's gotten her father to fire at least five teachers who didn't give her an A for assignments. Akane Sakura controls the school, dammit, and most of us just try to stay off the radar."</p><p>"So she's probably formulating plans for my expulsion right now, isn't she," my eyebrows furrowed, "what other high schools are there around here, which are preferably void of any tyrannical dictator?"</p><p>"She won't get you expelled. She hates you too much for that already," Hikaru began, "besides, I do have some credit among my friends in the basketball club, so once they know you're with me, she can't expel you without damaging her popularity levels."</p><p>"This sounds vaguely like a role-playing game."</p><p>"You annoy her, she expels you. You challenge her, and she'll want to see you suffer and fall before kicking your limp butt into the incinerator."</p><p>"So to survive, I have to make sure my butt doesn't go limp," I grinned cheekily.</p><p>"I would suggest you transfer out ASAP," he stopped in his tracks and gave a weak smile, "but knowing you..."</p><p>"When have I ever gone down without a fight?"</p><p>"Never," Hikaru beamed, "and you have my support. I've seen too many people crumble at the disgustingly perfect manicured hands of Sakura. Etsu, you probably have Natsu's blood flowing in you more than your own mother's."</p><p>"Oh, they're one and the same," I felt menace in my gaze, and Hikaru waved before disappearing down the hallway to basketball practice.</p><p>I opened the door to the detention room, and feeling a little charged up from the pep talk with Hikaru, I marked my attendance and sat facing a depressingly grey wall. I fished my writing pad out, fantasizing about different ways I could wreck the empire Akane ruled in Youdai High. I barely noticed the student that entered next, even when he had put his head right beside mine and whispered into my ear.</p><p>"Etsuko, Etsuko, Etsuko, didn't I tell you to stay out of trouble?"</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You do realise you're the reason I'm here," I sighed when the teacher in charge seemed satisfied that we were doing our own work, and had left the room an hour before our intended dismissal.</p><p>"Oh? Why's that?" He flashed a sly smile.</p><p>"Your girlfriend seems to think I have designs on you."</p><p>"So I heard," he saw my puzzled face and went on to explain. "Everyone in class was aware of that little cat fight at the back when it happened, Etsuko. Feigning ignorance was tough. Those who get on Sakura's bad side are few and far between."</p><p>"Why didn't anybody tell me she was some wealthy, spoilt brat?"</p><p>"You slept most of the week away. We couldn't tell you even if we wanted to," that smirk of his was coming back. "So, you like me now?"</p><p>"Yes, I've fallen in love with you overnight and have been considering the prospect of raping you instead," I shot him a weary glance, "I'm not interested, I just think you're interesting. All I wanted to do was let Sakura know I'm no pushover, but now I've got a whole situation on my hands. Any advice?"</p><p>"Transfer out," he seemed to be unaffected by the first half of my previous sentence, "or continue driving her insane."</p><p>"Hikaru suggested the first, but I've taken a liking to the latter," I chuckled under my breath.</p><p>"Hikaru?" Yuuichi looked slightly taken aback, "Yashiro Hikaru? How'd you know him?"</p><p>Crap.</p><p>"Erm, he showed me the way to detention?" Now that wasn't a lie.</p><p>"And you told a senior you've never seen before all about the commotion in class, plus he offered you advice without looking at you weird?" He eyed me suspiciously.</p><p>"Well, I did get saved by a random stranger whom I'm talking to right now," I began defensively, but I knew he didn't believe me; his clear blue eyes conveying just that.</p><p>"Fine," he turned away and glanced at the sky beyond the window, "I don't have to know now. But when you know you can trust me, tell me."</p><p>I wasn't sure what to make of that last sentence. Was he so sure that I would trust him one day? He certainly seemed to think so. However, I sighed in resignation and relief, thankful that he hadn't pursued the matter. It was safe to assume that he wasn't romantically linked with Sakura, with him encouraging me to drive her up the wall with a monster truck of sorts. He fished out the tattered leather bound notebook and began tapping his pencil against the desk, while I returned to formulating calculated plans of Sakura's gradual descent into insanity.</p><p>A good twenty minutes had passed before my stomach started to gurgle, informing me that all it had digested in the past nine hours or so had been four bowls of rice and miso soup in the morning, and that this was unacceptable. My body's metabolic rate had been on an eternal hundred metre dash since I was born, and this made me unable to abstain from food for inhumanly long periods of time, unlike Otousan, who reminded me of a camel with almost no need for water. Okasan always chided him for overworking himself to the point of skipping meals, and once Kaitou and Kichirou nearly starved to death when Okasan was out of town for filming, since Otousan had forgotten that my brothers were actually human and needed continual sustenance, no matter how similar they were to him.</p><p>The irate body part growled again, this time a little more menacingly. Yuuichi seemed to have heard this, and looked up from his work.</p><p>"You skipped lunch, didn't you?"</p><p>"I didn't want to risk being late and serve another week's worth of time in this hellhole." My stomach expressed its contempt once more, and I looked down at it, annoyed, "oh shush. The sacrifice was both noble and necessary."</p><p>A genuine smile flashed across Yuuichi's face as he burst into peals of laughter. It was the first time I had heard it; pure, unadulterated joy, unmarred by sarcasm, untainted by any double meaning. I sensed that he rarely laughed like that, and it was a pity; it sounded angelic. I watched as he threw his belongings into his backpack, and then heaved it over his shoulder before glancing at me.</p><p>"The only thing that will keep it quiet is food," he grinned, "come on, pack up."</p><p>As we set off towards the canteen, Yuuichi caught my eye and smiled calmly.</p><p>"You know what?" He started, his voice sounded a little more serious, "I think you're interesting too."</p><p>...</p><p>For the record, Yuuichi was the first guy who hadn't expressed shock at the amount of food I had procured. The tray was sagging under the weight of all the dishes I had piled up on the once horizontal piece of plastic, which was now squeaking with cries for mercy. As I polished off my second burger after three bowls of ramen, Yuuichi had filled me in about Youdai High, the yearly festivals and events, as well as clubs that I could choose to join if I wanted to. Surfacing for air, I nodded at the information I had been given, and then plunged back to devour one more bowl of soup.</p><p>"Remind me never to challenge you to an eating competition," Yuuichi remarked as I finally put down my wooden chopsticks, and then looked at his watch and sighed a little.</p><p>"Do you have to be somewhere else? It is getting late," my watch read five in the afternoon, and even students who had extra activities were starting to leave school.</p><p>"Yeah, I've got –"</p><p>"Yuuichi, it's rare to see you stay back in school," a cheery voice exclaimed from behind, and I turned to see a girl with short brown hair, her school blazer a different colour from the rest of the student body. "Ah, you must be Etsuko! Just transferred here this week right?"</p><p>I nodded at the girl that beamed at me with such a sunny disposition, though not overly excited to the point of being annoying. Her brown fringe brushed the top of her thin-framed glasses, and as she approached nearer our table I realised that she was a little older than we were.</p><p>"Kaichou," Yuuichi greeted, then introduced her to me, "Etsuko, this is Aya sempai, out school council president. Kaichou, Hitomi sensei sent us to detention, that's why we're still in school."</p><p>Kaichou seemed a little puzzled, and she tilted her head questioningly to one side, looking to Yuuichi for an explaination.</p><p>"Sakura happened."</p><p>"Oh my gosh. That junior who pissed Sakura off was you?" Kaichou's green eyes widened in shock, and then she grinned, "Girl, you've got guts!"</p><p>"Kaichou, show Etsu around school," Yuuichi got up from the table, "I'm going off."</p><p>"Sure. Etsuko, let's go."</p><p>...</p><p>"Etsuko, can I ask you a question?"</p><p>"Shoot."</p><p>"How'd you manage to provoke that tigress anyway? She was angry enough to storm down the hallway and gather all her lackeys to gab the latest news to them," Kaichou turned to me worriedly, "has she done anything to you?"</p><p>As Yuuichi seemed to trust Aya-sempai a fair bit, I told her all that had happened, save the wounds Sakura had inflicted on my arm with her deadly nails. Kaichou laughed when I told her how shocked Sakura looked as I goaded her, and then scoffed when I mentioned that she had falsely accused me of copying her answers.</p><p>"That Sakura's full of crap," Kaichou spat the words out, like they tasted disgusting on her tongue.</p><p>"What did she do to you?" I wondered what other heinous crimes she had committed against other innocents.</p><p>"When she knew that I was going to become council president at the start of the year, she almost got me expelled, just because she knew I didn't fawn over her like the others," Kaichou's eyes gleamed with fury, "my mom's ill and my dad left us when I was younger, so I don't have the money to transfer out or even take transport to a school in any other prefecture. Sakura knew all this, and yet she still went ahead to convince her father I had rigged the votes."</p><p>I was flabbergasted. Honestly, I thought Hikaru had been joking about people getting expelled, yet the school's very own council president had almost been a victim of it.</p><p>"Fortunately a few other influential seniors put their own reputations on the line to vouch for me, so the case was dropped," Kaichou smirked at me, her bright aura returning, "but be on your guard. She's pretty sly."</p><p>"Why doesn't anyone speak up against her?" The moment that left my mouth, I felt rather foolish, but Kaichou answered it even though it was so blatantly obvious.</p><p>"We can't afford to lose her father as a sponsor. The school needs the funds badly," Kaichou heaved a sigh, "like to install better firewalls in the system. Remind me to upgrade some software later or Sakura will use even that to malign me again."</p><p>"What happened to the firewall? Some virus?" I inquired, wondering what information was so secret that it had to be guarded so safely.</p><p>"It's been hacked twice this week. No information was stolen though; it seems that somebody just scanned through the files."</p><p>"Why would someone risk hacking the system twice? Wouldn't it increase the chances of getting caught for it?"</p><p>"No, it was two different people, and if I remember correctly, the read the same information from one of the newer files," her green eyes narrowed as she processed the information in her mind, and then the orbs widened in shock, "Etsuko, do you have any idea why anyone would want to know your home address?"</p><p>...</p><p>Kaichou hurried me into the student council room, turning on the computer and waiting as it started up, flooding the room with an eerie blue light. She logged into the school's database, and then tried to trace the IP addresses. The search was futile, and both hackers were professional enough to have had cleared almost all traces of evidence of their past presence. Kaichou sighed, rubbed her temples, and turned to face me.</p><p>"So..." she began with a glint in her eyes, "why were you paying more attention to Yuuichi in the first place?"</p><p>"I...just found him a little different from the others," I replied tentatively, not wanting to divulge that morning's happenings.</p><p>"True, Yuuichi's not your average teenager," I was glad that she didn't question me any further, and listened as she continued, "he lives alone, and doesn't talk about his family. There's a truckload of girls that are fond of him, but no one dares to make a move because of 'she-who-shall-not-be-named'."</p><p>I laughed a little at the reference, and then let my curiosity get the better of me.</p><p>"Do you like him too, Kaichou?"</p><p>"Nope," she averted her eyes from mine and blushed lightly, "I've loved this other senior ever since I came to Youdai, but he doesn't know that I've got feelings for him. Heck, I doubt he even knows I exist. Anyhow, do you like Yuuichi for real?"</p><p>"Nah, just wanted to piss Sakura off." I grinned cheekily.</p><p>"Well, he's a nice guy. Though he's a little aloof and doesn't have a club at all, he helps me with administrative work sometimes, especially when I'm swamped," she smiled at me, her spunk returning, "the both of you seemed to be getting along just now, so I can safely say that he'll protect you from Sakura as much as he can."</p><p>I nodded as she shifted the topic to school life, filling in any gaps Yuuichi might have left, and I listened to whatever information she gave me. After my new address had been save in the database, I offered to accompany her till she finished updating the firewall, then decided to head home to move my belongings to the new apartment.</p><p>Kaichou called my name one last time that afternoon before we headed our separate ways. I turned to face her, and what she said made my heart feel a little out of sorts for a tiny moment.</p><p>"You should spend more time with Yuuichi. I've never seen him smile like that before."</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaitou had been free late that night, and after his autograph session at around eleven, he had managed to lose the heard of screaming fans to help me shift over to the new apartment. His sleek, black convertible drew ogles from every star-struck homosapien on the street, so Okaasan insisted he drive a less conspicuous vehicle to my abode. My eldest brother parked the family Honda in the basement (that car was only used when any Tsuruga needed to make a discreet getaway from hysterical fans), and then picked up my luggage and two other boxes in one swift movement. I reached for a box, not wanting to burden my brother, even though I knew he could handle it with ease. Kaitou handed me the cardboard cube, then ruffled my hair a little before he locked the car.</p><p>"Etsu, we all love you, that's why we're letting you make decisions on your own," Kaitou stepped into the well-maintained elevator, and I followed.</p><p>"Kai, I know that," I turned away, "but sometimes I wish I wasn't so different from everyone, especially you."</p><p>The lift door opened and he led me to the apartment at the end of the corridor on the sixteenth floor, which was right next to the staircase. Kaitou fished out a card and inactivated the lock on the glossy apartment door, which slid open soundlessly and granted us entrance. I watched as he set the box and suitcase in a corner of the already furnished flat, left the key card on the coffee table and took a step back to inspect the cosy apartment. I glanced around as well; the place was well furnished, with a small kitchen, and a hallway that led to a rather spacious bathroom, and opposite that, an equally spacious bedroom. That bedroom was mine now, a bedroom without the baby pink wallpaper. Had I really thought I'd be able to live normally with my multiple Oscar-bestowed family? I knew they loved me, I knew that they wanted me to stay. Okaasan hadn't wanted to let me go half an hour earlier, squeezing the air out of me in a vacuum-tight hug while shedding silent tears, apologizing softly that she hadn't protected me enough. Not enough from the cruel, bloodthirsty, dog eat dog world of showbiz. They loved me too much to put me through all of that pain.</p><p>But didn't they know I loved them as well?</p><p>I loved the time I could spend with them more than I loved my privacy. I couldn't care less about the press or the attention, even the inability to lead a normal life. But I never told them that, just because I loved them too. Having yet another child in the business would multiply the grey hair count tenfold.</p><p>Comforting arms encircled me, and I turned around and hugged my favourite brother in return. (Sorry, Kichirou.)</p><p>"You want to become an actress, don't you," Kaitou released me gently.</p><p>"Anything," I murmured, "I'd do anything to close the gap between all four of you and myself."</p><p>"You should tell Okaasan and Otousan just that," he sighed, "I'm sorry I can't do anything, but I'm warning you, it's a scary world out there."</p><p>"I wouldn't be scared, I'd have Okaasan, Otousan, you, Kichirou," I paused a while and gave a wan smile, "no scrap Kichirou, he'd sell me out for a bunch of pretty starlets."</p><p>"And there's the real Etsuko I know and love," he grinned, "don't lose her."</p><p>"Ah enough with the mushy stuff. Get out of here and get some sleep so you'll treat my future sister-in-law nice during filming tomorrow," I shoved my sputtering and blushing brother out of the apartment, and then slammed the door shut, "and don't you dare come back till you've found the guts to ask her out on a date!"</p><p>I glanced through the peephole to see him beam, then turn to leave. My own smile lingered for a while, and I made my way to the bedroom. It was large enough for a couple, and my father had rented the one right next to the staircase just because it was slightly roomier than the rest. The digital alarm clock next to the warm-looking bed glowed a soft shade of blue, gently informing me that it was already twelve, and coaxing me to sink into the velvet softness of the duvet.</p><p>Crawling under the covers, I realised that no matter how warm the blanket looked on the outside, despite knowing that the warmth would come in time, it was still freezing cold when I slipped into the sheets.</p><p>...</p><p>"Okaasan, you can be anyone you like, just not Natsu, or even worse, Setsu," I tapped the side of the couch in my parent's living room, watching my mother as she came out of her walk-in-closet dressed in something a little too revealing for the parent-teacher meeting the next day.</p><p>"You're not wearing that," Otousan said sternly, a possessive look clouding over his face as he stalked over to Okaasan and promptly pointed at the closet. "Change. Now."</p><p>"You said office wear!" Okaasan protested, "it looks fine, doesn't it Etsu?"</p><p>"When Otousan says office wear, he doesn't mean the costume you wore while seducing your boss in that drama two years ago," I chuckled a little as Otousan's face turned even darker, while Okaasan stared at me cluelessly.</p><p>"Kyoko, you're supposed to be a professional businesswoman and a parent of a well-bred teenager no less. Surely someone of that status would want to dress modestly to leave a good impression, wouldn't she?" Otousan had that creepy false smile plastered all over his face, barely hiding the menacing aura behind it. "Now, go change."</p><p>Okaasan's eyes widened and she snapped into character, the busied herself with preparing her attire. Otousan slumped into the empty space on the couch beside me, and heaved a sigh. He had already picked out his outfit for tomorrow; Tsuruga Ren was posing as a stay-at-home dad, a grunge artist of sorts. The three of us had collectively decided that my father could not enter the school compounds in a suit, for we all knew how much attention he would draw in one, being tall, lean, muscular, etc. (Okaasan can tell you the details.) Otousan had settled for a pair of baggy jeans and an oversized hoodie. Too bad nothing could completely conceal his dazzling radiance, but at least the messy get up would deter most people from recognising him. To add on to the disguise, he decided to dye his hair back to blonde and assume his true identity as an American, since my own yellow locks had to have come from somewhere.</p><p>"Leave a good impression my foot," I was still grinning, "you just don't want Okaasan to appear in any of the fathers' or male faculty's wet dreams for the next month."</p><p>"Hmph," Otousan sulked and turned, "I don't know what you're talking about."</p><p>"Oh come on, you've always been jealous when it comes to Okaasan," I burst out laughing once more, "Uncle Yashiro told me you spirited her away from a dark moon set the same second you realised some other guy was just interested to see her in Natsu's costume."</p><p>"Wow it's late. I'm sending you home after this Etsu," he turned to me with a smile so bright I winced.</p><p>At this moment, Okaasan stepped out of the closet. I wondered if she was literally a closet businesswoman. Her black hair had been neatly bunned, and a light layer of rouge dusted her cheeks, making her taut jaw line even more defined than it already was. A simple white collared shirt was coupled inside a jet black power suit, with a tasteful but lustrous knee-length skirt of the same shade. Her black pumps and briefcase completed the no-nonsense look. If there had been a world record on how far jaws could drop, Otousan and I would have broken it by a mile or so. The bubbly Okaasan I knew so well had vanished, and in place was a woman whose unfazed glance held mine with cool, distant eyes.</p><p>"Close your mouth. It's unfit of any daughter of mine to gape at others," she whispered in my ear, admonishing me, but without disgracing me in front of anyone who might be watching, just like a refined boss of an international company chiding her subordinate.</p><p>Her tone condoned no disobedience, and my jaw promptly snapped back into its rightful place. My eyes were still wide though, and I had been so mesmerized by Okaasan that I failed to see Otousan's reaction till she had left my side and made her way to him. He had been equally stunned by her transformation from a office assistant/hooker to a high-flying professional.</p><p>"Why do you seem so surprised to see me home?" Okaasan calmly made her way to the front door and left her shoes next to it, then set her briefcase down neatly. "I return after a long day's work and you two turn into gaping goldfishes."</p><p>Otousan suddenly snapped out of his stupor and got off the sofa with a welcoming grin on his face.</p><p>"You must be tired, let me warm up dinner," Otousan had barely stepped away from the couch when he was roughly shoved back onto it.</p><p>"I want you for my main course," Okaasan straddled my father, and I could see pure shock engraved on his face.</p><p>Otousan didn't even have time to recover from that, as after my mother had blatantly attacked him, she went on to give him a steamy kiss full on the lips, tongue and all. Her commanding presence made me unable to turn away from the risqué scene, and I stifled a laugh as Otousan's terror turned into blatant lust and desire. Even though my father was normally the one "jelly-fying" my mother, the tables were now turned as she refused to give him dominance, swatting his roaming hands away from what he was aching to touch, while still lavishing attention on his lips. Otousan gave a few groans of frustration as Okaasan swiped his hands away from her chest and thigh. I fanned myself a little and decided to leave before I saw how either Kaitou, Kichirou or myself came into existence in this world. It must have been one heck of an entrance.</p><p>Just as suddenly as Okaasan had begun, she pulled back and folded her arms, though still seated in my father's lap.</p><p>"I'm not done yet," he growled.</p><p>"Who cares if you're not? I am," she replied flatly, as if dismissing an unwanted visitor from her office, "anyway, aren't you forgetting something?"</p><p>"What?" He spat out in frustration.</p><p>"You want our traumatised daughter to make her own way back to her apartment in the dead of the night?"</p><p>Otousan turned to me, his dilated pupils showing his confusion, then his sheer embarrassment. I gave a tiny smile and waved, as if trying to remind my father of who I was after he had suffered a sudden attack of amnesia. He swiftly lifted the businesswoman off his lap, her clothes slightly rumpled from his earlier (albeit futile) efforts to rip them into shreds.</p><p>"Look, you messed up my clothes as well. Didn't I say I'd need them tomorrow, you impatient man?" She said tersely, with a hint of disappointment, and my father couldn't help but flinch, then obey as she bustled us both out of the door. "I also told you I'd have you for my main course. That was just the appetizer."</p><p>I had never seen my father drive that fast.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Etsuko has been not been paying much attention in her classes, but regardless, she is intelligent and has been able to keep up with her lessons," Itsuki sensei glanced at me, then at my parents, who were both frowning a little after having been told about my misconduct.</p><p>"Jet lag?" I grinned sheepishly.</p><p>"That's no excuse," my mother said coolly, then turned back to my demonic mathematics and homeroom teacher. "We'll see to it that she does not repeat this mistake. Apologize, now."</p><p>"Gomennasai, Itsumi sensei," I tried to sound as sincere as possible, though I could tell both my parents weren't fooled by my third-rate acting.</p><p>It had already been two weeks since I had entered Youdai High. Both Kaichou and Hikaru had been right; Sakura had pulled some strings and managed to double my cleaning duties, as well as spread the word that if anyone even made eye contact with me, they would be ancient history. Even the teachers turned a blind eye to her disdain towards me, and I wasn't surprised. It wasn't very different from back in America, where people avoided me because of my ambiguous background and Japanese features. However, Kaichou and Hikaru were on my side, and Yuuichi talked to me just enough to deter Sakura from advancing any further.</p><p>Unfortunately, the parent-teacher meeting today was only for my parents, as I was new to the school and Itsuki sensei wanted to speak with them about my misbehaviour in class, and also his concerns on my lack of interaction with my classmates. Okaasan assured him that I was reserved by nature, and might take some time to warm up to my peers, though I could see Otousan raise an eyebrow at me, and possibly entertaining the thought of questioning Hikaru on why his social life and mine had such a stark difference.</p><p>My mother did most, or rather all, of the talking, like a seasoned lawyer answering all the questions of her client, and inquiring about her own doubts. Itsuki sensei seemed pleased to discover that the parents of a certain defiant brat (me) were rather cooperative, and smiled at them as they took their leave.</p><p>"Oh," Itsuki sensei added as they were about to leave the classroom, staring a little at Okaasan, "has anyone told you that you look like Tsuruga Kyoko? She's such a great actress."</p><p>"Yes, I have heard that before," she gave a slight smile, "thanks for the compliment, sensei."</p><p>...</p><p>"Okay, Etsuko, continue with the low profile," Okaasan turned to me as we left the staffroom.</p><p>"Okaasan, low profile? My homeroom teacher already saw the resemblance in half an hour," I replied, slightly amused, "and Otousan, maybe you shouldn't come here anymore. That's the third girl who's swooned because of you."</p><p>My father turned his uncharacteristically blonde head to see a female teenager that had recently slumped against her locker with a slight drool, while other groups of school girls ogled him from a distance. I wondered if this would garner more attention than my tiff with Sakura, while my stunning parents made their way out of the compounds.</p><p>"Why didn't you say anything to Etsuko's teacher, dearest?" Okaasan asked Otousan in a monotone as they walked down the hallway in the opposite direction.</p><p>"If I did, he would have sensed the jealousy in my voice," Otousan murmured in his low voice, taking the opportunity to explore other facets of this interesting character his wife had created, and letting his wide palm linger around her waist.</p><p>All the students in the hallway seemed to be watching this amazing couple, so engrossed in each other that they had failed to notice the gathering crowds.</p><p>"You already know I'm yours, was last night not a reminder enough?"</p><p>The hallway went dead silent, while numerous eyes widened, and countless eyebrows rose.</p><p>"No it wasn't."</p><p>I pitied the janitors; they would have a tough time cleaning up blood later from all the nosebleeds.</p><p>"Ah, you greedy man," she sighed in slight contempt, "anyone told you greed isn't good for business?"</p><p>"That's why you need to teach me the rules."</p><p>"Rule number one: no hanky-panky in public."</p><p>I watched my mother pace off rhythmically in the direction of the car park as if nothing had occurred, and left my smirking father behind to catch up with her. With his long strides, he was soon by her side again, as if he was a faithful canine following his much respected master. My schoolmates were still slightly taken aback by the intensity of the recent scene that had unfolded, and the hallways were deathly silent long after my mother's footwear had ceased the "click clack" echoes that it produced as she walked along the corridor. As the shock wore off, I heard plenty of comments from the students that had witnessed the drama.</p><p>"Did you see that blonde? I bet you he's hiding his washboards abs from the rest of the world!"</p><p>"Isn't he taken? It's such a pity! No wonder it took such a woman to get him. Aw man I wish I had a figure like her. She's got curves in ALL the right places. Businesswoman too. Beauty AND brains."</p><p>"Who are they?"</p><p>"That exchange student's parents!"</p><p>"Her father and mother are so beautiful, but what happened to her?"</p><p>"God wasn't paying attention, I suppose."</p><p>"HAHAHA! What a pity!"</p><p>I felt like dealing with these foul-mouthed peers in the same way I had dealt with Sakura, rebutting whatever they had said with a spoonful of tact and a dollop of wit. At that moment, however, I realised that starting a commotion would be a recipe for disaster. They would throw my parents into the mix of insults; separate me from them like one sifts flour, taking the useless, unwanted clumps away from the soft and refined wheat that everybody desires. I knew when I had the upper hand in disputes, and this was not one of those times.</p><p>I tried to leave the hallway with my head held high, but it was near impossible for me to achieve this seemingly effortless task. It was as if all my insecurities had been confirmed; that this would be how the world would treat me, with disdain and warped sympathy, for being nothing like the rest of my family. My tear glands waged a war of epic proportions with the last few shreds of my injured pride. Just as I turned a corner to a corridor with almost no human traffic, I felt a pair of warm hands suddenly rest themselves over my ears, like giant, comforting earmuffs.</p><p>"Don't listen to a word they say," this familiar voice was firm and unwavering.</p><p>"Hi...Hikaru?" I stammered a little, as one would usually do after having their ears covered without warning.</p><p>"You are in no way inferior to anyone. Those that put others down are the ones who have no courage, so don't listen to cowards."</p><p>I could feel a tear escape, and I hurried to control the torrents that were threatening to pour. Lowering my heavy head, I nodded wordlessly to convey my understanding.</p><p>"Feel better now?" His voice changed back to the jovial one that I was more accustomed to.</p><p>"Very much, thanks," turning towards Hikaru, I gave him a wide, grateful smile.</p><p>"Anytime. Remember, the Etsuko I know never goes down without a fight. Hey, wanna watch me do my thing at the basketball club later?" Hikaru offered.</p><p>"Maybe I'll drop by," I considered the idea, then smirked a little, "what do you think those rumour mongers will have to say if they see me eyeing both the basketball captain AND Sakura's beau?"</p><p>"Ooh, I sense my lovely, beautifully dark and scheming Etsuko making her overdue reappearance," Hikaru returned the sadistic smile, "see you later then!"</p><p>I watched as Yashiro Hikaru traipsed down the hallway, and then disappeared as he headed in the direction of the gymnasium. He had been a major source of comfort yet again, and even though the burden I carried around wasn't completely gone, a huge weight had been lifted off my back. I wondered how much lonelier I would feel without the mere knowledge that I had a friend whom I could trust, who would be there when I needed him. My converse shoes tapped against the well-polished floor, as I set off in the opposite direction towards class, where I would finish my cleaning duties before stopping by to watch Hikaru practice. Though he did not manage the schedules of others like his father, his own life revolved around a plan that was exact to the minute, which was another reason he could manage his time so efficiently and effectively. Despite finding this trait of his admirable, I couldn't picture myself counting the seconds when I ate or slept, and I could never imagine how Hikaru had gained such amazing discipline. His mother had probably whipped him into shape, and I laughed a little at the thought. She would have shown no mercy even though he was the only child.</p><p>My classroom door slid open as I tugged on it, and I stared in horror at the mess I was to clean up. The blackboard was covered in obscenities, especially in the corners that were hard to reach. The class files were in complete disarray, and the chairs were cruelly divorced from their desks. Sweet wrappers littered the floor, even though eating was strictly banned anywhere else except the cafeteria. Magazines and posters joined the foray on the dismal grey tiles. Toilet paper (of which its origins I greatly feared), hung from the ceiling fans like giant streamers, attached with what looked like gobs of gum.</p><p>I swore that it had been relatively hygienic when I had left it an hour earlier during class to join my parents as they met Itsuki sensei. The weary wheels in my head creaked as they turned, I realised that my parents had created that scene just minutes after everyone was dismissed, and something as eventful as that would have been news to students who had just been forced to sit through an entire morning of drudgery. And news, as I had come to discover, travels fast.</p><p>Giving Sakura plenty of time to make the classroom a complete pig-sty in sheer envy of my parent's unrivalled allure.</p><p>I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to see Hikaru play basketball that afternoon.</p><p>...</p><p>I hauled the black trash bag out of the once-filthy room, pleased with my efforts over the last hour. The clock read 4pm, and I had already cleared the litter on the ground, and made sure the desk and chairs were reunited with their respective partners. The cabinets and files had been put back in their rightful spots, and the blackboard was set free from its recent vulgar shackles. Posters hung peacefully on the notice boards. The only thing left was the disturbing rolls of toilet paper that were draped over blades of the ceiling fans, secured by gum.</p><p>I knew oil would work, but I didn't bring any. (What a shocker. EVERYONE brings oil to school on a daily basis. It's a basic necessity!) Thus, I resigned to sacrificing my ruler to scrape off the gooey remains after pulling out most of the toilet paper, as intact as humanely possible. Of the things I recommend not to do while tip toeing on unstable tables, it would be scraping gum off ceiling fans. However, it seemed like the most plausible idea at the time, and I had managed to eradicate the gum on one fan just as the clock told me it was 4.30.</p><p>One down, five to go.</p><p>On my fourth fan, I noticed that my knees were a little shaky. I ignored the trembling at first, as I focused on cleaning up the rubbery pink substance that had latched itself onto the fan. When I was packing up the class earlier, the tasks were varied, thus leaving me with less mental energy to think about that day's occurrences. I noticed the monotony of gum scraping after a while, and my thoughts about my parents started to creep in again. Maybe, I was a mistake. Maybe I shouldn't have existed. Maybe God wasn't paying attention on the day I was created. Maybe, just maybe. My arms ached from contorting themselves so that I could get the gum off, and the muscles in my calves made their resentment known. I grit my teeth, forcing my wrist to twist just a little more to get that wretched substance away from the plastic.</p><p>Now, picture a relatively inflexible teenage girl going against nature to convolute her limbs while teetering precariously on the edge of a flimsy desk. The forces of gravity have not been widely known for their merciful deeds, as this immalleable teenage girl was about to find out.</p><p>Once I could no longer feel the edge of the table beneath my blistered toes, I safely assumed that I was falling. The sudden rush of air behind me confirmed my suspicions, and I braced myself for a hard knock against another desk behind me. I wondered if they would hold my funeral in the classroom, possibly use toilet paper to mummify my accursed body and send me into the realms of the underworld. I may not be able to have a peaceful afterlife, but at the very least, it was comforting to know that I would have toilet paper. At this moment, I envisioned my head colliding with concrete once more, and this time, it would finish its job.</p><p>But what I least expected was to feel taut flesh cushioning my fall, and strong arms encircling me from behind.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For one, I didn't really know that the floor could be that warm, or that comforting. I almost felt as if I could lie on this wonderful floor forever, but it struck me all at once that this unnatural floor just might not be a floor after all. I was also wondering why floors nowadays clung on tightly to the waists of those who lay on it. I found it slightly hard to breathe, and I wasn't sure if it was due to something squeezing the air out of me, or because of the fact I subconsciously sensed a presence of the male homosapien right behind me. When my slow-paced conscious mind finally connected with its cousin, my lightning-quick subconscious, I realised that the person who had cushioned my fall was none other than Yuuichi.</p><p>"Crap, are you okay?" I rolled out of his grasp and onto my knees, and noticed that he winced a little when he moved his left arm.</p><p>"I should be the one asking you that question," he replied calmly, and seemed to be making no further effort to get off the floor.</p><p>"I am pretty heavy," I responded, still a bit worried that I might have dislocated his shoulder upon impact.</p><p>"Considering how much you eat, you're quite light."</p><p>"I inherited my dad's metabolism rate."</p><p>"You're fine, he's anorexic."</p><p>"He certainly displays the symptoms," I thought about Otousan's eating habits, and then gave a wan smile. Yuuichi must have seen him earlier today when he was leaving school after the meeting with Itsuki sensei. "Are you getting off the floor? I can't imagine it being a good place to take a nap."</p><p>"It isn't," he gave a little smirk, "but the view of the sky from here is fantastic."</p><p>I tried glancing up, but I barely saw anything remotely fascinating about the vast blue atmosphere.</p><p>"I don't see anything," I squinted my eyes, but that too proved futile.</p><p>"Not from that angle you won't. Lie down."</p><p>I tentatively placed my back on the floor, and let my head rest against the tiles. Then I saw. Orange and pink swirled in the sky, like a pair of teenage lovers cavorting in the horizon without a care for the rest of the colours that they outshone. Their love for each other seemed to be so bold, so certain, that even when a white cloud or two obscured them from view, instead of cowering and hiding away, their shimmer outlined the clouds, illuminating the skyline, making them seem even more beautiful than before. I had never seen such a lovely beginning of a sunset before, not in Japan or even in America. But I've never paid much attention to the sky before, a thought suddenly struck me, I've been spending too much time looking down, so much so I've never even considered that looking anywhere else might be worthwhile.</p><p>...</p><p>I had already lost track of time. The two lovers painted the sky while Yuuichi and I watched in compatible silence, admiring their efforts, but knowing that they would be separated when darkness enveloped the atmosphere. Just as the colours overtook the heavens and drenched them in a tsunami of orange and pink, I turned to Yuuichi, who seemed to be engrossed with the sight.</p><p>"Why are you still in school again?"</p><p>"I was helping Kaichou with some files," he responded without taking his eyes off the sky, "why were you standing on the tables, while doing some world-class contorting?"</p><p>I related my shock upon finding the classroom in a complete and utter state of calamity, and his alarm seemed genuine.</p><p>"I had no idea. If I hadn't left class early, I wouldn't have let this happen."</p><p>"It's my fault for egging her on in the first place. Although I know what I can do to stop her from trying to get me in trouble anymore."</p><p>"Pray tell."</p><p>"Wrap a giant red bow around you and deliver you to her doorstep, complete with an apology letter."</p><p>"You and your red ribbons better stay far away from me," he warned, "is there anything left that needs cleaning?"</p><p>I motioned to two other fans, and then attempted to stand, only to find my right ankle give way beneath me.</p><p>"I'll take care of the fans and your ankle as well," he dragged a chair out from a nearby table, and helped me onto it, before leaving the classroom to get another ruler, or even better, a bottle of oil.</p><p>As my eyes roamed around the classroom, I realised that I was sitting in Yuuichi's seat. My gaze flitted to the sky, and I smirked, knowing that Yuuichi must have chosen this specific desk just so he could watch the clouds go by when the boring lessons no longer held his ever-wandering attention. I dragged the chair a little closer to the table, trying to catch a glimpse of the origins of the orange and pink that coated the sky, but something decided to poke me in the stomach before I could do so. Glancing under the desk, I found the corner of his well-worn leather book peeping out innocently from underneath. I had rarely seen him without it, so it was a surprise to find it more than a metre away from its owner.</p><p>The book was probably the reason Yuuichi came back to class, and responsible for the fact that the only injury I sustained was a bruised ankle of sorts. It wasn't the best outcome, but it certainly better than death by gum and toilet paper. I proceeded to thank the black book by giving it a nod of acknowledgement. Its contents piqued my curiosity, but if curiosity was to blame for the death of a certain feline, it surely wouldn't be good for me to entertain it. I knew firsthand how much some people valued privacy, and I would much rather like to respect Yuuichi's, him having saved me from mortal peril on a grand total of two occasions. I set the book on the table just as its lanky owner returned to the classroom.</p><p>"You came back for this, didn't you?" I pointed to the book.</p><p>He blinked a little before registering my reference to the leather-bound tome.</p><p>"Yeah. Funny how I've never forgotten it before," he handed me a plastic bag full of ice, before his eyes widened and caring smile faded. "Shoot, you looked?"</p><p>"Yes. Your daily accounts of you stalking me are extremely interesting to read," I took a wild and utterly ridiculous stab at guessing what was written on the lined pages.</p><p>His face relaxed as he let a laugh escape, and I knew that my slipshod presumption had been way off the mark. He proceeded to clean the fans while elaborating a little more on the book, but not revealing anything about its contents.</p><p>"Every time I turn my back on that, Sakura tries to read it," he heaved a sigh of relief, "she must have been so riled up about creating a mess that she didn't realise I had left it behind. I'm really surprised you didn't take a look at all."</p><p>"Well, I was planning to sell it on eBay, so I wasn't about to risk damaging it," I cracked up while he turned to me with eyebrows raised higher than the state flag, before I clarified, "I didn't have the permission of its owner. My dad may be anorexic, but he taught me well regarding my manners. And before I forget them, thanks from catching me and bringing ice."</p><p>"You're welcome," he replied softly, "it's a shame my father didn't teach me anything, let alone manners."</p><p>"He's not...there for you?" I asked tentatively, sensing that this was an extremely sensitive topic, and the landmines might explode in my face if I did not tread with the highest amount of care.</p><p>"Never was," the sun seemed to be hauling the two reluctant colours down into the horizon, as the rebellious rays tried their best to escape its hold. "Come on, I'll bring you home."</p><p>With that, he hoisted me into his arms, and the sudden action stunned me, as I found his strong forearm support my back, while the other was behind my knees.</p><p>"I didn't know that you brought girls home by carrying them," I remarked as he started out the door.</p><p>"I don't. I just do it for one extremely clumsy girl who's continuously putting her life in jeopardy."</p><p>"I wonder who that is," I replied wryly.</p><p>"She eats a lot, and likes to pick fights with the strangest people," he smirked, "ring a bell?"</p><p>"Wow, both grotesque AND a little short on the marble count. That's one weird girl you're carrying around, mister."</p><p>"Absolutely," he grinned as we passed the hall.</p><p>Youdai's multi-purpose hall took up space on both the first and second level, and glass panels lined the corridor on the second story. If I had looked down into the hall, I would have seen one extremely shocked basketball captain staring right up at me.</p><p>...</p><p>"Yuuichi, wrong street."</p><p>"You were staying there last week. I used my phone to hack into the school database and it said so."</p><p>So he had been the one that had given kaichou extra work! I made a mental note to tell kaichou about it so she could increase his workload or the like. I wondered if Yuuichi knew about the second hacker, or maybe it was him using another piece of electronics to uncover information. The thoughts and questions swirled about in my cluttered mind, and I swam about in a choppy mental sea of confusion, too occupied to even comment on Yuuichi's statement.</p><p>"Would you like to tell me your new address? Or shall I hack the site again?" He threw me a life buoy and hauled me back into reality.</p><p>"Turn left at that corner."</p><p>The smell of ramen wafted from the nearby corner shop, and my stomach expressed its longing for food.</p><p>"You skipped lunch," it was a statement, not a question.</p><p>"Yep," I smiled, "I'm training my immature and impatient digestive organ in case I find myself without a source of nourishment one day."</p><p>Yuuichi shook his head and entered the store, as the customers present stared a little at the sight of a foreign female student in the arms of a schooling teenage male. He set me down at a table and promptly ordered three bowls of ramen.</p><p>"Yuuichi, it's been a while," the middle aged owner of the store greeted him with a beam as she set the bowls at the table, "who's this?"</p><p>"Shujin-san, meet Etsuko," Yuuichi gestured to me as I nodded and smiled, "she's my classmate."</p><p>"Ah, not girlfriend?" Shujin-san looked rather dejected, and I saw Yuuichi flinch a little, before she turned to me, "Yuuichi used to come often for lunch in middle school, but he was always alone."</p><p>"Middle school? That's a long time ago," I wondered aloud, "did you stay nearby?"</p><p>"I still do," Yuuichi confirmed.</p><p>"But he's grown up, and too busy nowadays to stop by," Shujin-san added, I've lost yet another regular customer to this incredibly strong competitor named time."</p><p>"He does put up an extremely good fight," I agreed.</p><p>"I like her," Shujin-san turned to Yuuichi, "the ramen's on the house today. And ask your friend who's coming to hurry up before it gets cold."</p><p>It took me a while to realise that she was referring to the extra bowl of ramen, but Yuuichi had caught on faster than I had.</p><p>"Etsuko's fond of ramen," he smiled warmly, "arigatou, Shujin-san."</p><p>"She's got wit and an appetite," Shujin-san beamed in return, "I like her even more."</p><p>...</p><p>"Shujin-san has never given away three free bowls of ramen before," Yuuichi remarked as we walked out of the store, or more specifically, he walked out with me on his back. Shujin-san had been kind enough to bandage my ankle as well, so I wouldn't have to trouble myself treating it later.</p><p>"History has been made today!" I echoed with a healthy dose of enthusiasm, and I heard him chuckle.</p><p>Glancing around the busy walkway that was bathed in pale yellow streetlamp light, I noticed that there were many ramen shops on the street and most seemed to have been around just as long, some even longer than Shujin-san's store.</p><p>"What made you frequent Shujin-san's store out of all the other shops?"</p><p>"I was twelve, angsty, and thought the world owed me something when I ran away from home. I remember I was so mad, I didn't even bring money or clothes," I could sense hurt expertly masked in his voice as his head lowered, "to cut the long story short, Shujin-san gave me a place to stay and food to eat till I had the guts to return home. I've never even considered becoming a patron of any other store."</p><p>I wanted to find out what had made this normally calm and distant Yuuichi so angry that he'd leave home because of it, but I decided to let it slide, since he'd done the same when I had mentioned Hikaru by accident. Instead, I placed my head on his back, and wrapped my arms a little tighter around his shoulders. I felt Yuuichi stiffen slightly, but he relaxed after a second.</p><p>"Amidst all the pain, it's good to know that there are others that care," I whispered into his back, "thanks for taking care of me today."</p><p>"You're welcome," I heard him give a soft sigh as he stopped walking, "and I think I've got to thank you too."</p><p>"For?"</p><p>"Listening."</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yuuichi walked on in silence as I gave monosyllable directions for him to follow. The ramen shop had been just a block or two away from my apartment, and in no time he was already walking past the block, which had a high fence surrounding the compound inside, separating it from the well-lit pavement. Otousan had chosen this apartment due to its relatively high security, and its cost was notably higher than other flats in the area. It crossed my mind that Yuuichi might have a sneaking suspicion of who I was, if I could afford to live alone in an apartment here, but lying to him or asking him to take me somewhere else didn't sit well with my burdened heart and cluttered mind. He could probably hack the school's database and bust my cover again if he wanted to, so I just relented and recited silent apologies to my paranoid parents, both of whom would be enraged if they found out I had revealed my place of residence to someone I barely knew; of the opposite gender, no less.</p><p>"We're here," I stated, and started to climb off his back, as he helped me onto the sidewalk.</p><p>"You...live here?" I sensed incredulity in his wary voice, and I wondered if he was shocked by the fact I was living in quite a luxurious compound.</p><p>Bracing myself for tough questions, I swiftly made my way to electronic gate, trying to fish out my key card from my school bag to gain access into the estate before Yuuichi could ask anything else. The card seemed to elude me, and I clawed desperately in the obscure crevices of my knapsack. The longer I tried to locate the sneaky card, the more flustered I became, and I stopped short of ripping my bag to shreds in search of it. All the while, I couldn't help but wonder why Yuuichi hadn't asked about how I could afford to live here, or why I had suddenly changed my abode even though I'd been in Japan for only a fortnight.</p><p>"Ah, you can go back first, I'll find my card," I rambled a little, trying my best to convince him I'd be fine so he would leave, and hopefully take away all the awkwardness I was feeling along with him. "It's already eight; you should be getting home too."</p><p>I hadn't taken my eyes off my chocolate brown backpack, still intent on finding the card. My fingers trailed along the bottom on the bag, like a fishing trawler trying to scrape crustaceans off the seabed, in the hope of finding a rare oyster with a priceless pearl.</p><p>"You're...right...I should be going home now."</p><p>" Mmhmm," I sounded in agreement, thankful that he wasn't about to ask any tough questions that would put me on the spot.</p><p>At this moment my right hand seemed to have found something rather squarish and promising, and my fingers closed around a piece of rectangular plastic as I let out a sigh of relief. I looked up towards the gate, about to tap the oblong card on the reader, when I realised that the gate was already open.</p><p>With Yuuichi standing on the other side of the gate, one hand holding it ajar for me, and the other holding a card identical to mine, as he tapped it lightly against his chin.</p><p>"So, you coming?"</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The glossy screen of my three month old laptop emitted a dim blue glow, which illuminated my face in a ghostly manner. I sat comfortably under my covers with my hoard of fully pillows propped behind my back, as I ran my fingertips through my blond locks, slightly damp from the recent shower I had emerged from. And it had been one long, long shower.</p><p>I remembered the very first bout of awkward silence Yuuichi and I had shared in the elevator. He had probably seen my hand quiver from the aftermath of the initial shock I suffered, pressing the button that would instruct the lift to take me to the sixteenth floor of the apartment block. I barely registered the slender finger that pushed the button to the seventeenth floor, the highest one in the block. My eyebrows had furrowed in confusion, and I wanted to ask him something, anything, but I wasn't sure where to begin. Before I knew it the lift had opened on my floor, and Yuuichi gave me a gentle push into the corridor, and whispered something along the lines of 'see you tomorrow, take care' or the like. But just as with everything else, I wasn't sure what REALLY had happened. I had stumbled to my apartment as if I was inebriated, and somehow managed to enter the flat, and subsequently the shower.</p><p>Yuuichi's residence in this very block flung the floodgates of my inquisitive mind right open, and my head throbbed from the flash flood of questions that poured into my mind. What was he doing here? Why hadn't I seen him even come here the entire week? How could he afford to live here? Was anyone else living with him? If he had been staying here since middle school, he must have been loaded at the time to be able to move in when the apartment was just built! Did anyone at school know he was this rich? Had he secretly murdered an unsuspecting apartment owner and stolen the pitiful man's identity for all these years? Was he the elusive Duracell bunny in a non-fuzzy, un-pink disguise? The possibilities were endless.</p><p>I was caught up in the gridlock of information in my brain, feeling exactly like it was rush hour, but really, nothing was moving. My thoughts slammed repeatedly into concrete walls at dead ends in the never ending maze that I was completely and utterly lost in. It was so confounding that I barely realised the instant message that popped up on the screen, its azure borders quivering in an almost futile attempt to catch my attention.</p><p>"Etsu! I need to thank you!"</p><p>I took a quick glance at the ID. Ah, Kichirou.</p><p>"Thank me? For?" I typed in my puzzled reply.</p><p>"The fishing pole scene!"</p><p>I hadn't thought about the fishing pole scene in years. Kaitou and Kichirou had been eleven and nine respectively, and they were on holiday, visiting their long lost sister in the United States. They were taking a break from filming another drama where they were acting alongside each other as onscreen brothers, but they had been having difficulty acting out one particular scene – one where the brothers were fishing, and were amazed when they caught a trout of epic proportions. Kichirou was supposed to hold the fishing rod in astonishment, while Kaitou had to touch the fish tentatively. However, the director was insistent on making the scene seem as believable as possible, and the enormous fish they used in the filming sequence was real, and unfortunately possessed as much of an attitude that a fish could possibly have. It had proven too much for my brothers, and it never stayed still long enough for the scene to be filmed completely, tugging mercilessly on the thread of nylon that separated it from freedom.</p><p>"<em>Etsu, I'm not strong enough to hold it," the nine-year old Kichirou whined.</em></p><p>"<em>And I got slapped by the fish!" Kaitou sighed in resignation.</em></p><p>"<em>Kai Onii-san...why don't they just put that black thing on the string?"</em></p><p>"<em>Black thing? What black thing, Etsu?"</em></p><p>"<em>Um...the can-mer-rah," I sounded slowly, "the...camelrah?"</em></p><p>
  <em>I remembered them bursting into peals of laughter, rolling around in the soft green lawn behind Oji-san's bungalow house. It was strange, because nothing seemed to strike me as funny at the time.</em>
</p><p>"<em>The things that films our scenes? The camera?" Kaitou was first to recover from his fit of giggles.</em></p><p>"<em>Hai, Onii-san," I continued seriously, "put it on the string, the string that Kichi onii-san holds. Then you two can look at it...and pretend it's the fish!"</em></p><p>I recalled myself gesturing, and doing my best imitation of what I thought my brothers should do. Kaitou seemed to understand where I was getting at, and Kichirou did the same after he had finished crying tears from laughing too hard. After a while, they seemed a little enlightened, and when I saw the drama on air the next month, it felt just like the audience was looking at the adorable faces of the famed Tsuruga brothers through the eyes of a certain indignant trout.</p><p>...</p><p>"Etsu, you there?"</p><p>"Yeah, it looks really good," I commented on the short clip Kichirou had sent me, straight from the director's cut of the latest movie he was starring in.</p><p>Taking the liberty to watch the video once more, I was enthralled as Kichirou gently planted a chaste kiss on his co-star's cheek as the borders of the screen were lined by red gossamer paper. The scene had been shot from a camera that had been strategically placed inside the lantern that both actors were holding on to, and it captured the emotions they portrayed beautifully.</p><p>"I suggested it, and it turned out fantastic," he enthused, "props go to you, Etsu."</p><p>"When's it being released?"</p><p>"We wrap up filming next week, and I'll go on tours and promotions for a month or so."</p><p>"Congratulations, Nagareboshi," I made reference to the nickname Kaitou and I had given him all those years ago, where he was more like a shooting star than a lucky star, which was what his name meant, "make sure I get to see it with ALL the bloopers!"</p><p>"No probs. Oh, I heard our parents took your school by storm today."</p><p>"The school nurse has probably never seen such a serious, widespread pandemic of nosebleeds before."</p><p>"I went home today and got caught off guard," I winced as I read this, not wanting to imagine what Kichirou could have witnessed. "But I've got to confess, Okasan looks smoking hot in that power suit."</p><p>"Kichirou," I warned, "should I save this conversation and show it to Otousan?"</p><p>"Ah, he knows I'm a playboy, so it won't be anything serious."</p><p>"Gosh, Onii-san, is there any woman you wouldn't hit on?"</p><p>"You." His reply was instantaneous. "Okasan's barely a B, but yours is flatter than a plateau!"</p><p>"My eye just twitched. I expect you to have the sense to know how much trouble you'll be in the next time we cross paths."</p><p>"But I still love you all the same! BYE!" He hastily logged off.</p><p>I glared at the computer with an interesting mix of contempt and amusement, and then closed it slowly, before proceeding to bury myself in a mountain of books as I burned the midnight oil. Kichirou had been rather helpful, as he had kept my mind off other things, doing enough to distract it from a certain nagging issue. Studying seemed to be a rather effective way to avert my attention and brain cells from doing something completely unnecessary; keeping them occupied for a while.</p><p>I was glad my thoughts regarding my inadequacies weren't hounding me as much as they had been this afternoon, but now I had a new problem on my hands. If I even paused my frantic studying for a while, my brain would begin formulating irritating questions that plagued me without avail. I had never been this intrigued about anything in my whole sixteen years of existence, not even when I wondered about how my family went about their jobs or schedules. Not even about my past, or even about how Okasan and Otousan met. None of those situations piqued my curiosity to such an extent that I feared my mind wasn't mine to control any longer. Lucidity was a precious commodity that I sought after, and the condition I was in seemed entirely ridiculous to me, so much so that I wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry in confusion, but there was one thing I was sure of.</p><p>I couldn't stop thinking about Yuuichi.</p><p>...</p><p>My sheets were tousled and splayed about the bed as I squirmed under the covers, unable to stop the trains of thought in my mind from careening dangerously near the edge of mental cliffs. I tossed and turned. The digital clock reminded me that 3am was no time for a student like me to still be awake. I tossed and turned some more.</p><p>A good fifteen minutes passed before I dragged my weary body off the mattress, and my feet slipped into warm slippers that I had left beside the bed. They shuffled against the marble flooring, and my feet took me to an unpacked cardboard box in the hallway that had been an innocent victim of my laziness and reluctance to put it away. I lifted the box and brought it to my room, setting it down soundlessly before flicking the switch for the lights on.</p><p>It wasn't long till I found what I was looking for. The plain-looking converse shoebox seemed rather old and possibly even unsightly, but it held all my most treasured possessions. I scanned each piece of paper desperately, as if hoping I'd be able to unearth something in the letters that might be of use. Unfortunately, the amazing advice that had been given to me in the form of the written word was only applicable to my circumstances in the past, and provided no answer to my current infection of curiosity. I sighed in disappointment and settled for the comfort and amusement the letters brought me instead. They were beginning to turn a pale yellow, and I sincerely hoped that the ink used would not fade too much.</p><p>I was nine when my elementary school teacher handed me the first letter. I couldn't remember her name, and her face seemed blurry in my memory banks, but I knew she had a warm smile which she never hesitated to show.</p><p>"<em>Etsuko, I've noticed you've always seemed sad, so I got a special fairy to write you a letter."</em></p><p>"<em>Sensei, fairies don't exist," I shook my head, disappointed with my teacher for not realising that most children would have lost their belief in mythical beings at the age of eight, although Okasan still insisted they were real for some very strange reason.</em></p><p>"<em>Ah, but he really is a fairy," she handed me the letter and tousled my hair, "and I encourage you to reply it."</em></p><p>"<em>He?"</em></p><p>"<em>Ah, some fairies are male too. How do baby fairies come about if there aren't male fairies around?"</em></p><p>"<em>Sensei, I can't believe you're an adult – fairies don't exist."</em></p><p>"<em>Give your reply to me, and I'll call UPS to deliver it," she winked.</em></p><p>"<em>UPS?" I asked incredulously, "they deliver? Without thinking you're insane?"</em></p><p>"<em>Unicorn Parcel Services," she stated without showing any sign of laughter. "Oh, and forgive him if his handwriting isn't as neat as it should be. Fairies these days don't practice their penmanship as much as they should."</em></p><p>I shook my head a little, and the scene stopped replaying in my head. My hand reached for the letter at the bottom of the stack, and I gingerly pulled out the precious first letter that I had received from the "fairy".</p><p>
  <em>Dear Etsu,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(Is it okay if I call you Etsu? My <strike>mom</strike> </em>
  <em>human guardian asked me to call you that.)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fairies know everything, and I know you've been real sad all the time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Um...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Don't be sad!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Please?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yours truly,<br/>
A fairy.</em>
</p><p>It wasn't long, and it seemed ridiculous when I read it at the time. I was intelligent enough at ten to notice that he was probably sensei's son, thanks to his failure to use liquid paper or correction tape to remove all traces of his error. Grinning at the thought, I remembered writing back to him the very next morning, telling him the same thing that had I told sensei; that fairies didn't exist.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Fairy,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You don't exist.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Regards,<br/>
Etsu</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(P.S. Yes, you can call me Etsu.)</em>
</p><p>His reply was prompt, and I received a letter the following day.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Etsu,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You're right, I'm not a fairy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm a pokemon.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yours truly,<br/>
A pokemon.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(P.S. Are you still sad?)</em>
</p><p>I heard myself let out a rare giggle, almost identical to how I laughed the first time I read that letter, and I ran my fingers through my blond hair yet again. Reading the letters had to be therapeutic.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Pokemon,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Which pokemon are you?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Regards,<br/>
Etsu</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(P.S. Not really. You made me laugh.)</em>
</p><p>I rummaged through the shoebox and found letter number three.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Etsu,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm not telling! HAH!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yours truly,<br/>
</em>
  <strike>
    <em>Squirtle<br/>
</em>
  </strike>
  <em><strike>Charmander</strike><br/>
Jigglypuff.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(P.S. I'm glad. I like your laugh. Laugh more okay?)</em>
</p><p>It was around this time I asked sensei how he would know my laugh. Did fairies/pokemon have databases full of laughs belonging to different people? But sensei just smiled that warm smile of hers.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Jigglypuff,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why won't you tell me which pokemon you are? I'll be sad if you don't!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Regards,<br/>
Etsu</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(P.S. How'd you know what my laugh sounds like? And why Jigglypuff?)</em>
</p><p>The fourth letter from him peeked out from among the other letters.</p><p>
  <em>Dear <strike>Etsu</strike></em>
  <em>Pikachu,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You've got blond hair.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So that name's perfect for you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yours truly,<br/>
Jigglypuff.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>(P.S. I know everything, remember? And you'll know why - next time.)</em>
</p><p>I smiled to myself as I returned the letters to the box, arranging them carefully and placing the whole shoebox in a cabinet, one which I could lock if I wanted to. I did so, and placed the key on my table, before returning to bed with a dreamy smile on my face, and falling soundly asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A couple of things happened when I returned to school, the bags under my eyes hinting at the lack of sleep I had the night before. It was rather eventful for a Tuesday, and my weary mind had a hard time keeping track of it all. The first abnormality that took place was how intently people were studying me. It felt like I was being watched by a rainbow of sorts, as my schoolmates' eyes; sky blue, sea green, misty grey, fiery amber; all settled on me, and the emotions each gaze held were as varied as the colours I saw. As I entered my classroom, I heard the whispers. Ah, scrap the whispers; the comments and insults were being hurled right at me as I walked in.</p><p>"I heard Yuuichi carried her home yesterday!"</p><p>"That's not possible!"</p><p>"That vixen! The nerve of her to steal from Sakura!"</p><p>"She doesn't deserve Yuuichi, neither should she have such stunning parents. Gosh. Why do the plain ones get all the good things?"</p><p>It was right about then that I snapped. The affronts ticked me off to the point of no return, and I decided to say my piece. I realised that when regrets occur when things go unsaid, and I certainly did not want to regret dealing with any more aspersion than I should.</p><p>"ENOUGH!" I hollered, and felt my body tremble with fury, though my voice was only slightly strained as I fought to keep my cool. "If you have something to say, say it to my face. Yes, Yuuichi carried me home yesterday. It's possible, because he's relatively strong, and I do not weigh as much as the average elephant. No, I did not steal him from Sakura, because he has not acknowledged that he is her property. Yes I am plain, yes I don't deserve Yuuichi, and about my parents, I had no say in that."</p><p>Silence wrapped around the class, and all the shell-shocked students gaped at my blatant audacity. My luck was down at that point in time though, and I wondered if I would regret saying something as bold as that while I was greatly outnumbered by other students, and circumstantial evidence of Yuuichi carrying me home was not on my side. One of Sakura's close companions picked up on my sudden stroke of hesitation, and decided to shred the flimsy shield I had attempted to construct.</p><p>"We were talking about you. Not to you. You didn't have to say anything. You shouldn't have, because, really, none of us care what you think."</p><p>"Etsu-chan, she's right, you know?" Heads turned to see Sakura saunter through the doorway, halting only an inch away from my desk. "I don't care very much for your feelings. But it's good that you still have your wits. That makes it so much more exciting for me to toy with you."</p><p>Her nails were poised above my shoulder, and I grimaced in the thought that they would sink into my flesh yet again. This time, however, they hovered over my left cheek, ready to land a stinging smack on the expanse of my pale skin. I wondered what I had done in my previous lifetimes that warranted such outright injustice. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I attempted to run, but the table behind me made any chance of escape impossible. My eyes squeezed shut as I saw her arm retract a little, then garner speed to strike me hard.</p><p>But the burning sensation of a slap never came.</p><p>"Akane Sakura, don't you dare."</p><p>I peeked out from my eyelids, relaxing the muscles that made them close so tightly a second ago. There was a tanned wrist in front of my face, which led to a large hand that was grasping firmly onto Sakura's slim arm, rendering her incapable of any further movement. My eyes trailed up that tanned arm to the body that it belonged to, and its irate owner had placed himself in front of me, effectively shielding me from physical attacks, if any. His mouth was nearly invisible, having formed a grim line across his angry face. I wasn't accustomed to seeing such a furious look on Hikaru, and I certainly didn't want to bear witness to it any longer.</p><p>"Your father may be the one donating new supplies for the basketball team, but that doesn't give you the authority to slap anyone," Hikaru continued in a terse voice, "remember; I still have evidence against you. Don't make me use it. Etsuko, let's go."</p><p>His left hand latched onto mine and he hauled me out of the classroom, taking gigantic strides like a furious, provoked bear. I wanted to tell him to stop, because it hurt; especially my ankle from the previous day's events; but I had never even caught a glimpse of Hikaru being this angry before, and I wasn't about to add fuel to the fire. He finally stopped when we reached a corridor of the school that only lead to after-school clubs, right next to the stairs that lead to the roof, so the area was deserted. I could predict what was about to come next. Hikaru had always taken my parent's stance on concealing my identity, and had chided me whenever I had near slips back in America.</p><p>"Etsuko, what the hell happened yesterday?" His voice was terse and demanded a response from me. "Did Yuuichi really carry you home?"</p><p>"Yes, he did, but it's because -"</p><p>"So you actually admit it!" His arms folded across his broad chest in contempt. "I saw it with my own two eyes yesterday; you were clinging on to him like he was your only lifeline."</p><p>"Hikaru, could you please calm down so I can explain -"</p><p>"You don't need to explain anything. I went to your house yesterday to ask you what had happened, only to discover that you had moved a week ago without telling me a thing. And then," his voice suddenly seemed a tad louder than before, "I come to school today and hear from everybody else that YUUICHI brought you home! IN HIS ARMS!"</p><p>I could only bite my lip in response, because it was true that I hadn't told Hikaru about my move to the condominium.</p><p>"You're living alone now, but you seem to be awfully comfortable letting a guy with raging hormones into your apartment! You barely know him!" Hikaru glared at me, and then seethed. "I don't want you to be around him, or talk to him anymore."</p><p>"Hikaru, I know you're concerned for me, but Yuuichi hasn't done a thing –"</p><p>"What makes you think he won't? Or, even worse, he could piece the puzzle together and realise who you are!"</p><p>"I don't see why that's such a cause for concern!" My previous encounters with Yuuichi were more than enough to assure me that he could keep a secret.</p><p>"Oh? So now you love him so much you actually WANT to tell him who you are? THAT YOUR MOM AND DAD ARE MOGAMI KYOKO AND TSURUGA REN?"</p><p>His voice echoed in the empty hallway as I stared at him wide-eyed. Hikaru had never been like this before. I didn't know the person standing in front of me.</p><p>"Hikaru, what the hell's gotten into you?"</p><p>"I don't trust Yuuichi!"</p><p>"Well, I do," I paused as Hikaru turned to me with pure shock in his eyes. "And MY identity is MY business, so whether I do tell him is none of YOURS!"</p><p>"IF NOT FOR HIM, YOU WOULDN'T BE IN THIS MESS WITH SAKURA!"</p><p>"IF NOT FOR HIM, WE WOULD BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IN THE HOSPITAL!"</p><p>I snapped for the second time that day. None of this was Yuuichi's fault, and Hikaru had no right to blame him for anything that had occurred between me and Sakura. In fact, I was grateful to Yuuichi for helping me countless times on so many different occasions. I couldn't understand why Hikaru was so fuming mad, but it would only be much later on that I would find out why. My retort made him effectively shut up as I tried to explain how I had lost my balance and showed him my ankle, but Hikaru didn't stop looking dazed and distracted. His gaze clouded over and he detached himself from whatever I said, and just numbly walked off when I mentioned how Yuuichi carried me out of school. Was Hikaru sick today? Had he perhaps lost a match yesterday? I shrugged and decided to roam the hallways before heading back to class.</p><p>...</p><p>The class was eerily quiet when I stepped back into it, even though I had prepared myself to ignore the taunts that I imagined would come. Nobody said anything as I made my way to my desk, and I sat down a little amazed at the whole scene. I saw Sakura turn to glare at me, her smooth face marred by a malicious expression, but some frightening aura had engulfed the room like a tidal wave, making Sakura flinch and avert her eyes. Even I felt the chill, and shivered in terror. Glancing up, I realised that Yuuichi had shot an extremely menacing look her way, his blue eyes frozen over like a lake in some insanely harsh winter. Realising that I was looking at him, Yuuichi turned his gaze on me, and the coldness in his eyes melted almost instantly and he managed a slight grin before turning back to look out the window. I was still rather perplexed as Itsuki-sensei walked in and began teaching us mathematics, and the whole day seemed to be getting increasingly confounding.</p><p>School had almost ended when a senior brought a note to class.</p><p>"Sensei, sorry for the interruption, but Kaichou would like to speak to Etsuko in the student council room. It's rather urgent."</p><p>My teacher nodded her approval and I rose from my desk, making my way to see Kaichou. I wondered what she could be calling me for, but I assumed that it would be some administrative issues that I still had to settle since I came into Youdai. My fingers twisted the metallic door knob clockwise, and I pushed the door open, only to find Kaichou behind her desk with her arms crossed, and a very grumpy Hikaru seated in front of her.</p><p>"You wanted to see me, Kaichou?"</p><p>"Yes," she nodded her head slowly, "Etsu, lock the door."</p><p>I did as I was told, still unsure about what was going on.</p><p>"I was patrolling the hallways this morning before school started," she began, and motioned for me to sit down. "And I need to talk to you both about something I heard when I made my rounds outside the after-school clubs."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Kaichou, you heard everything?" I asked tentatively.</p><p>"Pretty much. I'm actually quite amazed you managed to evade the press all these years. Don't worry, I won't tell a soul, and I'll do my best to protect you," Kaichou reassured me, and then shot Hikaru a look that would make a plant shrivel up and wither of sheer humiliation. "There will be no more yelling in the hallways. You're lucky I was the only one around this morning. As a senior, I expect you to have more common sense."</p><p>Hikaru gave a remorseful sigh and turned away from Kaichou's piercing green eyes, before slowly rising from the wooden chair in front of her desk. I glanced at Kaichou, gave her an appreciative nod, and began to leave as well.</p><p>"Hikaru, before I forget," Kaichou started, "Etsuko's identity is her business, and I trust Yuuichi as well."</p><p>Hikaru paused wordlessly, and then continued out the door. As I followed after him, I closed the student council door with as minimal noise as I could manage. I wasn't sure if my ears were playing tricks on me, but right before the door was fully shut, I thought I heard Kaichou mumble something along the lines of "almost as much as I trust you".</p><p>...</p><p>Hikaru stopped before ascending the flight of stairs that lead to his classroom. He turned to face me, his light brown fringe covering part of his downcast eyes, as he glanced up at me rather sheepishly.</p><p>"I'm sorry Etsu, I didn't mean to get angry, and really, I should have listened to you."</p><p>"I don't blame you. Anyone would have misunderstood if they saw me yesterday. Which is also why I found it hard to stand up against Sakura this morning."</p><p>Hikaru shook his head, and then curled his finger, beckoning me to come nearer. I wondered what he was up to, but walked closer to him anyway. When I was less than an arm's length away, he stunned me as he pulled me into a tight hug.</p><p>"Remember when I was in America for middle school, and sometimes you'd tell me you felt inadequate? I'd hug you like this, because it'd-"</p><p>"Squeeze all the bad thoughts out," I finished with a wan smile, as my arms hung limply by my sides.</p><p>Hikaru held me like that for another second or two, and then his grip loosened. The hug had been comforting, warm, and above all, familiar. The Hikaru I knew was back.</p><p>"About this morning," he began with a mischievous grin, "don't let it happen again. Next time, I expect you to become the demonic offspring of Natsu and Mio, and scare the living daylights out of every last one of them."</p><p>I watched Hikaru climb the stairs with a spring in his steps, and he reminded me of a very happy Tigger bouncing on his now invisible, orange tail. I started walking back to my own class, remembering how Hikaru had been like that since he came to America for elementary and middle school. His mother wanted a hiatus from acting, and his parents decided that Hikaru would do well in the future with a good grasp of English. He finished the second half of elementary school in America, and then carried on with middle school there. He would visit me sometimes, but he returned to Japan when I was barely thirteen, so the memories were a little fuzzy. If I recalled right, his mother had taught drama in my elementary school too. Her impeccable ability to memorise nearly any script within ten seconds still amazes me.</p><p>The bell signalled the end of the school day as I strolled back into class with my head held high. The teacher had left, and most of my classmates were packing their bags and heading home. Out of the corner of my dark eyes, I spotted Sakura making her way towards me, like a hungry lion stalking towards her prey, but I just smirked as the overconfident cat approached.</p><p>"Etsuko, don't think that just because-"</p><p>"Oh yes, I'll do my cleaning duties today. I hear Kaichou is giving me extra credits for doing such a good job with it. Sakura-chan, thanks so much for putting me in charge. Maybe if you did your share of duties, you'd get extra credits too."</p><p>I walked right past her stunned form, then stopped before saying something I couldn't resist adding.</p><p>"Oh, and don't chew gum," I glanced over my shoulder, "it makes you fat."</p><p>I good number of my classmates stifled their laughter, and shuffled out of the class with unmistakable grins. I controlled the urge to chuckle at her dumbstruck expression, then grabbed my knapsack and started out the door, heading to the canteen to grab lunch first.</p><p>"Bye Sakura-chan! Ja ne!" I called cheerily and waved.</p><p>...</p><p>I felt refreshed after taking a nap in the afternoon, before watching the newest episode of the drama serial Otousan was acting in, as a plain, middle-aged bachelor who had undergone an extreme makeover, and had difficulty adjusting to his new life of 'attractiveness'. It was amusing to see Otousan so flustered at all the attention he was receiving from the women, seeing that he had been dealing with the fawning for a good three decades. The producers had even brought Okasan in for a cameo, as a skimpily-clad bar dancer vying for his attention, but Otousan's expression during that scene had been a rare slip in his career; rather than seeming embarrassed, he wore a pained expression on his face. Kaitou, Kichirou and I had laughed our heads off, for we knew the immense internal struggle he must have gone through while sitting there during the entire fifteen minute take.</p><p>I turned off the flat screen television, and then lifted the empty bowl that was once overflowing with two packets of noodles that I had cooked for dinner. After washing the dishes, I made my way to the bedroom and noticed the keys I had placed on my desk – the ones that kept my precious shoebox locked safely away in the drawer. I had completed all my schoolwork during class today, having been too troubled to fall asleep during any of the lessons. The shock my teachers must have gotten was probably comparable to what I had experienced when someone told me Kaitou was gay. I almost believed it though. His record was suspiciously spotless.</p><p>As I slid the key into its matching lock, it opened smoothly and I retrieved my treasured cardboard box. The letters were kept in chronological order, from the first one I had received when I was nine, till the last one that came during my first year of middle school, complete with a Japanese stamp on its envelope. Filtering through the dozens of letters he had sent over a span of four years, a thought suddenly struck me.</p><p>Didn't Hikaru return to Japan when I started middle school?</p><p>...</p><p>I spent the entire night reading the letters. It seemed as if I told Jigglypuff everything; from my identity to my insecurities. It seemed rather ridiculous now as I realised how those letters would be undeniable proof that I existed, when the very thing I was supposed to do was conceal my identity. But Jigglypuff was my secret, and I was absolutely sure I told no one about him, not even Hikaru.</p><p>Jigglypuff gave good advice too. I remembered when I was twelve, I told him about how I couldn't compare with my family in terms of looks.</p><p>Dear Pikachu,</p><p>Seriously? Looks? Haven't I told you that looks are overrated?</p><p>Here's an analogy (some big word that I learnt the other day. Cool huh.) :</p><p>I think people are like pokemon, and life's our trainer. We all have our shells that we hide inside – our pokeballs – and we only come out and show our true potential during battles. Some pokemon live in Great Balls, Fast Balls, and Safari Balls; but in the end, it really boils down to how that pokemon fares in battle. It doesn't matter how beautiful the pokeball seems on the outside. It's the pokemon inside, and its abilities, that count.</p><p>So stop fretting about looks.</p><p>Yours truly,<br/>Jigglypuff.</p><p>[P.S. I like you just the way you are, fuzzy and yellow. =)]</p><p>I sighed and put the letter aside, wondering how amazing it was that someone who was young enough to enjoy pokemon was mature enough to build an entire analogy around it. I glanced at the clock and found that it was nearly midnight, but the nap I had taken in the afternoon made me feel restless. I paced around my apartment in deep thought. Was Hikaru Jigglypuff? It seemed likely, given that the timing fit. The guy knew how I laughed, what I looked like. He had been around for barely a month before the first letter came, and the letters stopped coming almost a week after he left. It seemed a little suspicious to be just a mere coincidence.</p><p>In addition, none of my secrets had been leaked out. Anyone else would have probably sold the information to nosy reporters all over the globe for a tidy profit. Hikaru had been extremely close to me before he left, so it was extremely probable. Come to think of it, even his mother had been a teacher in my elementary school!</p><p>But somehow, somewhere inside my heart, I didn't want Hikaru to be Jigglypuff.</p><p>And I didn't know why.</p><p>...</p><p>I stared up at the night sky, admiring the numerous stars that shone brightly against the dark canvas, and wondering if their light could illuminate my cloudy mind. After a good hour of pacing in my apartment, I decided to make my way to the rooftop, and I when I arrived I couldn't be more content at my decision. It felt peaceful to be there.</p><p>I had gone through the last few letters before I headed for the roof. Something about the last letter made me believe Hikaru couldn't have been him. My breath mingled with the autumn breeze and I leaned against the cool metal railing.</p><p>"Jigglypuff," I murmured softly, "where are you?"</p><p>It was a rhetorical question, but to my astonishment, I got an answer. Well, more like a response, but it was still shocking to hear a soothing, melodious voice behind me at one in the morning on the rooftop of my apartment.</p><p>"I have no idea," it began, "but this sounds interesting. Who's Jigglypuff?"</p><p>...</p><p>"Yuuichi, for my sanity, could you please give me a warning whenever you're around?"</p><p>I had buried my face in my palms, which had broken out into cold sweat from the shock. We were both sitting on the cement, with our backs against the railing I had been leaning on a short while ago.</p><p>"It's not my fault," the corner of his mouth lifted, "you were so engrossed in your thoughts that you didn't even realise I had been standing right behind you for the past five minutes."</p><p>"You'd think I'd expect someone to be behind me at this hour?" I asked incredulously.</p><p>"More like something. Something pink and round with a microphone, and a very bad hairstylist."</p><p>He started laughing again, just like he did when I jumped about five miles up into the stratosphere after he had caught me unawares. I must say I did not enjoy that free trip to space and back.</p><p>"Ah shush."</p><p>"So, who's Jigglypuff?"</p><p>"A pokemon. Ever watched pokemon? It's an amazing anime!"</p><p>"You're a lousy liar, Etsuko."</p><p>He looked up at the stars, and was didn't ask any further about why I had been longing to know the whereabouts of a fluffy, fictitious two-dimensional character. Again, I wondered what in the world he was doing on the roof at 1am. Taking a good look at his clothes under the moonlight, I noticed he was wearing a slightly rumpled white shirt, sleeves folded up to his elbow, coupled with a thin black tie that had been loosened. His black jeans were slightly loose around his relatively thin, long legs, and his sneakers were the same ones that he had worn to school. He looked surprisingly attractive in the get up, and it was rare, because I only thought that about the most attractive actors. I wondered where he had been, and why he'd only come back in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately for me, I blurted out my thoughts before my mind had processed them.</p><p>"You look good in that. Did you go clubbing or something?" The censorship board in my mind suddenly kicked into overdrive, and I realised I had complimented and insulted Yuuichi in the same sentence.</p><p>"Er," Yuuichi seemed slightly taken aback, and searched for words to formulate a reply. "I have a part time job as a soloist in a bar downtown."</p><p>It was then that I noted he had his guitar with him.</p><p>"You play that?" I pointed at the black case.</p><p>"Yeah, and I sing too."</p><p>"You must be talented, since you're actually being paid for it."</p><p>"I hope so. Don't tell anyone in school about this though, not even Kaichou knows I have this job," he paused a while, then turned to me with a glint in his lively blue eyes, then bit his lower lip a little as he stared right into my dark brown eyes. "So, you think I look good in this?"</p><p>I took another glance up and down and nodded my head, not really knowing why my cheeks felt a little warmer than before.</p><p>"That's...interesting," he averted his eyes from mine, almost as if he had expected me to take back my words and deny it. "Then I guess I have to return the complement."</p><p>"I'm wearing a hoodie and pyjama pants," I stated wearily.</p><p>"But it's a nice hoodie!"</p><p>I chuckled lightly, and thanked him softly for it. Placing my back against the steel bars behind me, I thought about what Hikaru had said earlier. What would Yuuichi think if he knew who I really was? Yuuichi wasn't like the rest; he said and did whatever he liked, and wasn't influenced by others. So he probably wouldn't be among those who would want to know me just because I was the offspring of two legendary actors. I wondered how he would react, and it was rather thought-provoking.</p><p>"Yuuichi, who do you think I am?" It was an incredibly cryptic question, and I wanted to explain further, but Yuuichi replied faster than I expected him to.</p><p>"A girl who eats a lot, sleeps a lot, and seduces drunken men at three in the morning," Yuuichi droned, his face void of expression.</p><p>"...thanks."</p><p>"Says whatever she wants to with amazing wit, and acts tough even though she's scared."</p><p>I found it hard to say anything, and I felt as if he hadn't finished his sentence.</p><p>"And tries too hard to hide the fact that she's the daughter of Mogami Kyoko and Tsuruga Ren."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I was absolutely flabbergasted, completely astonished and utterly bewildered. It felt as if some enchantment (most probably the "turn-your-life-topsy-turvy-in-a-fortnight-and-pray-you-don't-puke-in-the-process" spell) had come upon me, and the entire realm of supernatural forces decided to make my existence their newest plaything. I was pretty sure at that moment my eyes resembled those ping pong balls you used to play with during your childhood, which continuously bounced off to the wild unknown when you weren't paying due attention to its whereabouts.</p><p>"How...how..." I stammered incoherently, and then rambled on. "Oh my gosh did Kaichou tell you? I thought she said she wouldn't but she did say that she trusted you and all and..."</p><p>"Calm down, Etsu."</p><p>His blue eyes stared calmly back into my frantic ones, and I was too busy handling my paranoia at that moment to notice the internal struggle that was occurring within Yuuichi. Breathing out gently, he started explaining.</p><p>"It's not obvious, but you always avoid questions about your family, and also how you reacted this morning to their insults, especially about your parents. They looked like Ren and Kyoko Tsuruga yesterday when they were leaving school, but don't worry, it was mostly your address last week and the sudden change that really confirmed my suspicions. Not many people can afford to live here."</p><p>I felt a little numb after hearing all that. Nobody had noticed how I reacted to questions about my family before; if anyone ever had, they would have just dropped the topic and deemed it as sensitive. But here Yuuichi was, talking about my background as if nothing was wrong about having two major superstars for parents.</p><p>"So, Kaichou knows about it too? How'd that happen?"</p><p>"Ah, Hikaru and I were..." my voice trailed off as I tried to find the right words to complete my sentence, "talking this morning, and Kaichou accidentally overheard us. Since, you know, Hikaru's father is my Otousan's manager."</p><p>"Talking?" He raised an eyebrow inquisitively, and I rued the fact that Yuuichi was that observant.</p><p>"Yes. Talking." I answered affirmatively.</p><p>"Well, my lips are sealed, unless you pry them open with a crowbar," he gave a smirk. "Why'd you want to keep your identity a secret anyway? Any girl I know would be ecstatic to inform the rest of the world she's the offspring of Ren and Kyoko if given the chance."</p><p>"My parents wanted me to decide if I wanted the limelight, but honestly, I don't think they want me in it. I feel inferior. They're all talented actors, world-acclaimed models. Heck, even you can sing."</p><p>"You did act well the other night. You almost got away from that pervert, though I disagree with your methods."</p><p>"If I was anywhere close to their standards, I would have escaped."</p><p>"If you did, I wouldn't have met you."</p><p>"You...sound as if you actually think meeting me was a good thing."</p><p>"I do think so. No, in fact I know it is," his voice was oddly quiet.</p><p>We sat in silence for a while. I clenched my fist nervously, wondering what would happen from now on. If Yuuichi could figure it out, it was only a matter of time before someone else would do the same. Honestly, could I trust Yuuichi? He seemed as if he was all for protecting me, but you could never judge a book by its cover. No matter how attractive the cover looked. I realised that the pokeball analogy could fit right in here, and I remembered why I had ventured to the roof in the first place.</p><p>My thoughts drifted back to Jigglypuff. I wondered if he would be able to give advice that would get me out of this awkward situation I was in, and somehow make the whole world feel right again, like he was able to years ago. Then again, it was years ago, and I had matured from then, had I not? If Yuuichi knew about me, I guess I would just have to live with it. Curiously, that in itself didn't seem like such a bad thought.</p><p>"So," I started tentatively, "since you know so much about me, I should at least know something about you too."</p><p>"What about me do you want to know?" His face lit up. "Hmm, my size is -"</p><p>"No, Yuuichi, not that," my voice was terse, "do you turn into a pervert after midnight or something? You seem like a perfect gentleman during the day."</p><p>"Yeah. I was cursed from young. There, now you know something about me," he grinned impishly, but obviously knew I wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily.</p><p>"Ah. Sing a song! I want to hear!" I decided that I actually wanted to hear him belt out a tune or two.</p><p>"I've never seen you this enthusiastic unless there's food involved," he obliged by unzipping his guitar case, and then placing the acoustic instrument on his lap. "Any requests?"</p><p>"Something you're familiar with, I guess," I replied, then quickly added, "but I'll whack you if you sing anything overly suggestive."</p><p>Yuuichi seemed deep in thought, and then smiled a little when he mentally decided on the song. I inched closer, somehow a little impatient to hear how his voice sounded like in a melody. His long fingers strummed a gentle tune, and it sounded soothing to my ears.</p><p>"If the windows crack it's your fault," he stated, while still plucking the strings of his guitar rhythmically.</p><p>"Yuuichi! You're supposed to sing!" The disappointment in my voice was evident.</p><p>"Ever heard of intros?" His fingers expertly changed chords as he mocked me a little, with that annoying smirk of his plastered onto his face.</p><p>"Hurry up and sing! I –"</p><p>"Oh, her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining<br/>Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying<br/>She's so beautiful, and I tell her every day."</p><p>I was stunned for the second time that hour. People say the anticipation itself is more exciting, but actually hearing Yuuichi sing was nothing compared to how I felt when he started playing the guitar. Every word he sang was light and clear, and his voice was strong but not overbearing. He captured the emotions beautifully, and seemed to be in genuine amazement of the beauty of a certain girl. Man, was she lucky.</p><p>"Yeah, I know, I know, when I compliment her she won't believe me<br/>And it's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see<br/>But every time she asks me do I look ok, I say,"</p><p>It was impossible for me to disrupt the atmosphere he had created; the unseen orchestra that now enveloped him as he became one with the instrument and the music. Yuuichi was completely caught up with the song, and his eyes were closed as he sang. All I could do was listen, but, then again, that was all I really wanted to do.</p><p>"When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change<br/>Cause you're amazing, just the way you are<br/>And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while<br/>Cause girl you're amazing, just the way you are."</p><p>I noticed that his eyebrows would furrow whenever he tried to hit a higher note, and then relax after he sang it perfectly in tune, like he was pleased with himself for being able to belt it out nicely. Hugging my knees to my chest, I let my eyelids cover my dark brown irises, and enjoyed the rest of the song in contentment.</p><p>"...Cause girl you're amazing, just the way you are," Yuuichi ended simply, with no fancy chord progressions or maniacal strumming like many guitarists in our generation seemed to be infatuated with.</p><p>His eyes opened and he turned to me expectantly.</p><p>"Wow. You're...good," I breathed.</p><p>"That's all? Aww. I sang my heart out there and that's all I get?" Yuuichi lowered his head in disappointment.</p><p>"Hmm, then...can I marry your hands and vocal chords?"</p><p>This got an extremely loud laugh from him. I wondered if our neighbours were considering moving out at that moment, for Yuuichi's insane guffaws could make anyone think that the rooftop was haunted by some ravenous ghost.</p><p>"I doubt any priest would join you and three of my body parts in holy matrimony," he chuckled, and then suggested, "why not you just marry me instead? I believe I'm good husband material!"</p><p>"Nah. I just want your hands and vocal cords. Sakura can have the rest of you. I bet she'll be even happier, 'cause without your hands or the ability of speech, you wouldn't be able to fight her off, nor protest against whatever she might do to you."</p><p>I watched Yuuichi shudder at the thought, and then turn to me with mischief in his gaze.</p><p>"So, you want my hands, eh?" He leaned towards me and I instinctively jolted upright. "Well, then my hands are coming for ya!"</p><p>Before I knew it, his wide palms were at my sides, his fingers jabbing furiously in an extremely successful attempt to tickle me. I writhed against the grey slab tiles, trying to evade him, and failing miserably.</p><p>"Haha! Yuu-haha-ichi...st-op...haha...it! Stop!"</p><p>"What's up? Your fiancés just want to get to know you a little better," he said blandly, clearly amused by my response to his tickling.</p><p>An idea struck me.</p><p>"Yuuichi! Shooting star!" I pointed up at a completely random patch of the dark sky.</p><p>"Huh?" He paused and glanced up. "Where? There's no shoo-WHAHAHA-"</p><p>I thought turnabout was fair play as I knocked him to the floor and assaulted his sides as well. His black hair splayed across the tiles, his eyes squeezed shut while trying to bat my hands away from his sides. He reminded me of a furry creature of sorts that was squirming out of its captor's grasp. A cat most likely, one that was utterly annoyed about having to lose its cool and normally distant composure. I was kneeling near his waist, bent slightly over him, hoping to make the most of the situation so he'd never try tickling me again.</p><p>"Tru-ce...hahaha...TRUCE!" He was breathless and I relented slightly, but it was a wrong move.</p><p>Yuuichi grinned, grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to the floor beside him. I could see him hands coming at my sides again, and I quickly shielded them with my own hands, before letting a comment slip from my mouth.</p><p>"Ah! Yuuichi you said truce! Even Hikaru wouldn't tickle me this hard!"</p><p>I waited, but no further attack ensued. Perplexed, I turned around to face the person behind me, who had just gone eerily silent. My eyes met his, ice cold blue riveted on chocolate. I suddenly felt like looking at something, anything else at that moment, but I simply couldn't break away from his fixated gaze.</p><p>"Etsuko," he murmured, "you're...really close to Hikaru right?"</p><p>"Yeah. We grew up together, so it's a given," I replied honestly, without much thought, "he's a really good friend."</p><p>Yuuichi sat upright and turned away from me, his face and the expression on it expertly hidden by a shadow.</p><p>"Yuuichi, what's wrong?" I was slightly unnerved by the sudden change of atmosphere.</p><p>"Nothing. We should be going to sleep. There's still school tomorrow. Good night, Etsuko."</p><p>The flat tone Yuuichi had used was the exact same one he employed while in school, but I suddenly realised that even though he spoke to everyone else that way (except Shujin-san, perhaps), he had never applied it when he conversed with me. I was taken aback by the abrupt detachment Yuuichi displayed, and remained puzzled as he grabbed his guitar case and headed for the stairs back down into the apartment. I watched as he took determined steps away from the rooftop, but I called out to him anyway.</p><p>"Yuuichi?"</p><p>He stopped.</p><p>"Thanks for promising to keep my secret, singing for me," I walked closer to him, "and for cheering me up. If not for you I'd still be thinking about..."</p><p>"A certain pokemon?" He completed my sentence as he held the door open for me, though still deliberately glancing in another direction to avoid meeting my eyes.</p><p>"Yeah. I must be really disillusioned today, but I feel like telling you about Jigglypuff before you start poking fun at me."</p><p>"Then I don't want to hear it," he shook his head, "I'll only listen if you genuinely want me to know."</p><p>"Really? Wow, thanks. It must make no sense to you, but I really miss Jigglypuff. We were...close."</p><p>"As close as Hikaru?"</p><p>That was an interesting question. I'd never compared Hikaru to Jigglypuff before, and had always viewed them as separate entities, albeit indispensible pillars of support. To Hikaru, I told my worst fears, but to Jigglypuff, I related everything, and he did the same with me, even though I never knew who he really was. I made my decision and replied Yuuichi.</p><p>"No," I began, as he paused while opening the door that led to the 17th storey corridor.</p><p>"Closer than Hikaru."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ever wonder what the end of the year means? Sure, it means that we're all getting a little older, that there's going to be new opportunities, and there's also going to be plenty of good food going about during Christmas and the extremely happy New Year. My grandfather and I are all set to go on an eating spree at every party we were invited to, and we'll gatecrash the others as well. Times like those make me certain that my family doesn't want to be associated with me, though Okasan doesn't mind. Come to think of it, most of the time Ojiisan and Okasan are together, Okasan makes HUGE portions of food just for him. And if I'm around, she'd throw in another six cups of rice to the already overflowing cooker.</p><p>It was now the first week of December, and it marked the fourth month since I first moved to Tokyo. School would temporarily release us from its evil, ensnaring clutches for two weeks, allowing us to revel in the joyous festivities at the end of the month, before yanking us back into its relentless jaws of mind-blowing boredom. It's a sad reality, but hey, it's a break; take it or leave it.</p><p>Life had gone on normally for the past three months, Kaichou and Yuuichi really didn't tell a soul about who I was, and Sakura just gave me the occasional trouble. It seemed like Itsuki sensei was on my side though, seeing how I aced most of his mathematics tests while a certain flower failed nearly all of hers.</p><p>I plonked down into the comfy sofa that I had come to recline in rather often over the past two months, and I turned on the flat screened television to kill a bit of time on this rather cloudy Saturday morning. The goggle box flickered to life, and an obnoxiously over-decorated float greeted my eyes. I love the president, I truly do, but in all honesty, I think I'd die from the stress he'd give me if I was his interior designer. Scrap that, I wouldn't die from stress. The time he takes to choose between baby pink and azure blue could make anyone age a century.</p><p>After recoiling from the terrifying sight of neon pink and green Christmas strobe lighting, I focused on the four figures that were standing on the float. One of them waved sincerely with the loudhailer in his other hand, his black hair a little tousled, forehead slightly damp as he tugged his arm away from a rather irritated blonde man beside him. The blonde tried to lunge repeatedly at the loudhailer, with the same scowl on his face that I identified as the one he showed whenever he lost to the slightly older male beside him, even at games such as "hungry hippos" eons ago. The other man subtly stuck the front part of his tongue at the blonde before reverting right back to his broad grin at the masses of screaming fans. I laughed as another black haired figure on the float shot them a rather menacing look, while a much shorter woman with golden eyes beamed at the crowd, party popper in hand, oblivious to her two unprofessional sons and their annoyed father.</p><p>The Tsuruga family (Otousan, Okasan and those two jokers I usually call my brothers) were on tour for the entire December, promoting a short seasonal film they had rushed to complete within two months. Even though it was a short film, the touching Christmas story also brought the family onscreen for the first time since a decade ago, when the Tsurugas acted in a drama portraying the comedic woes of a young family. That was when Okasan and Otousan were slightly younger, and Kaitou and Kichirou were incredibly immature and mischievous. Now, Okasan and Otousan are slightly older and much wiser, while Kaitou and Kichirou are, unfortunately, still incredibly immature and mischievous.</p><p>I grinned as I channel surfed and found Tom and Jerry reruns on cartoon network. It was certainly easier on the eyes than that pink and green monstrosity, and I got lost in an episode revolving around a ferocious man eating lion and a rather scared Tom. Giggling till my sides hurt when Jerry managed to subdue the beast, while the jealous Tom simultaneously fell into a manhole, it dawned upon me that I had yet to make breakfast, and my stomach wasn't going to tolerate further neglect.</p><p>My fingers grabbed the metal ice cream scoop and I struck the cabinet a little to retrieve the frying pan. For a rather costly apartment, it was pretty surprising that one particular cabinet wouldn't open without being hit rather hard with a immalleable object. Over the weeks, I've come to realise that the ice cream scoop works best.</p><p>I placed the pan on the stove, and cracked two eggs onto it, while heating the toaster for at least five pieces of bread. I would normally head to the Tsuruga residence on saturdays, but since everyone else was on that kaleidoscopic eyesore, it also meant no home cooked food for a month. Bending down to whack the cabinet another time for a cooking pot, I suddenly heard something ceramic in nature crash on marble floor. Venturing out of the kitchen and into my living room, there was another crash, but I realised it wasn't coming from my apartment, but rather from upstairs.</p><p>Ice cream scoop still in hand, I quickly turned off my stove and toaster, reassuring my stomach that I'd prepare one more portion for making it wait just a bit longer, and set off to investigate the source of all that breakage. Ascending the stairs to the front door of the apartment above, I tentatively rang the doorbell. Even though I had been residing in the apartment for a third of the year, I had never made an effort to know my neighbours with the exception of Yuuichi, but I didn't have much of a say in that matter. However, I was concerned with the sudden breakage of breakable goods, and thus it led me to ring the doorbell again, this time a little more urgently.</p><p>"I'm sorry for bothering you, but I heard something crash, and I'm just – are you okay?" I called out when I didn't get any response.</p><p>I was prepared to maim the electronic lock with my trusty ice cream scoop when the door opened.</p><p>To reveal Yuuichi.</p><p>Shirtless.</p><p>With blood gushing out a three inch gash at his side.</p><p>...</p><p>"What the crap happened?"</p><p>I was grasping a bottle of iodine, drowning cotton wool in the dark yellow antiseptic, while Yuuichi sat on a chair, pressing a piece of cloth to the wound, which was quickly becoming soaked with his blood.</p><p>"Long story," he replied through gritted teeth.</p><p>Checking that the bleeding had more or less stopped, I checked the open wound. It was a clean cut, and nothing seemed to be wedged in the raw flesh, so I hurriedly applied the antiseptic without bothering to warn him.</p><p>"OW! That hurt! At least tell me when you're going to – OW!" Yuuichi yelped a little as I continued slathering antiseptic onto his wound.</p><p>"Shh...tell me later."</p><p>I could feel his eyes watching me as I dried his right side, cleaning up any excess antiseptic. His left fist clenched a little when I pressed slightly on the cut, and then slowly removed the pressure on it. Yuuichi relaxed and let out a long sigh, and then unfurled his fist to reveal a bloodstained palm. I placed the dressing on the gash, before wrapping it in place with the long roll of bandage. Rising from my crouched position, I took the cloth from his hand, rinsed it in cold water and returned with wet paper towels.</p><p>"I was trying to film a music video of sorts for a song I wrote," he started as I tucked the stray end of the bandage into a previous round, covering his rather smooth, tan skin, "and while jumping off the couch for the bridge, I had a mishap."</p><p>I threw him a look.</p><p>"Fine, two mishaps."</p><p>I glanced behind him and saw the remnants of a ceramic vase and a small glass trophy.</p><p>"In my rush to save that little token from elementary school, I got cut by the ceramic shards. Then I had to take off my shirt to see the extent of the damage, and then you sounded really worried at the door," Yuuichi seemed to be laughing at his own foolishness and lack of rationality, and then looked at me sheepishly, "you must think I'm an idiot."</p><p>"Not really, no," I remembered my letters from Jigglypuff, and thought about how I'd probably catch a grenade to prevent them from getting destroyed, though I might have skipped out on the removing my top and then opening the door to someone of the opposite sex.</p><p>The silence was comfortable this time, and Yuuichi stared wistfully at his wall, as I took a paper towel and gently wiped the blood off his hands. I marvelled a little at how wide his palms really were, and how long his fingers seemed to be. He kept his fingernails long, probably to assist him in producing those heavenly tunes on his guitar. I grabbed another chair and tried to clean his cuticles as much as I could.</p><p>"Hey, Etsu?" He breathed softly, "thanks."</p><p>"No problem. Just...don't jump on the couch again. You scared me when you opened the door."</p><p>"Why? My stunning six-pack a bit too much for you?" He smirked, suddenly regaining that taunting gleam in his eyes, and I removed my hands from his and moved them to my hips.</p><p>"You're talking to the girl who's got two brothers whose abdominal muscles are unmatched in this country. I'm referring to that crazy cut you sustained when you were acting like a small kid half your age."</p><p>"Oh come on you must have felt something," he cajoled, "tell me. Pretend that I'm that gay best friend of yours that all you women want."</p><p>"Gosh. If your wound isn't swelling up, your ego is certainly making up for it."</p><p>"Hey, I've already been hurt physically. Why take another stab at the injured guy?" He seemed rather amused at the effect his teasing had on me.</p><p>"Fine, you looked hot. Done?"</p><p>As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt the blush creep onto my face. Biting my lip and turning away nervously, I ran a hand through my blond hair, and then fell into my lap as my right thumb started a massive war with my left. Without any warning, his right hand engulfed mine and he moved his face closer till we were looking straight at each other. You know many stories make mention of the clichéd spark that happens between their male and female leads, but I swear at that moment, for the first time in my life, I thought maybe that there was more to the eyes than just to see. His crystal blue orbs bore straight into my soul, but I somehow knew that I couldn't escape his gaze even if I turned away. We just stayed there for a long time, probably long enough for the president to finish choosing all the fabric he needed for the next year.</p><p>Yuuichi's eyes conveyed something to me too, and I had a sudden longing to know him, to understand who he really was. I wanted to know the Yuuichi that was sentimental enough to disregard his safety and lunge for an elementary school trophy. I wanted to know the Yuuichi that sang on the rooftop, his soul bare for me to see. I wanted to know the Yuuichi that worked so hard on whatever that was written in that old, leather bound book. Searching for traces of them in his eyes, he caught me off guard and drew my hand into his lap, expertly replying my previous one-word question.</p><p>"No, we're not done," his breathing was slightly shallow, and he looked down at our hands. "You...you haven't finished cleaning my nails yet."</p><p>"Yuuichi, I...I don't run a manicure shop! And what kind of man are you, getting a manicure?"</p><p>"The best kind!"</p><p>"Don't make me elbow you in the ribs."</p><p>"You wouldn't, you weird out pokemon lover. Oh oh, you're free today right? Help me film the video."</p><p>"You're nuts! Have you seen the gash you have after attempting to film it? You must've fallen off the crazy tree and hit every branch on the way down."</p><p>"I'll take that as a compliment. Help me film. Please?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Aww come on for my hot abs at least."</p><p>"No."</p><p>I let out something between a laugh and a sigh; glad the tense moment was over, but inexplicably disappointed. And it irked me that I didn't know why.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Yuuichi, you've got to look betrayed. You're not the least bit convincing!" I fumbled with the state-of-the-art digital camcorder and stopped filming.</p><p>"What? Etsuko, it probably looks fine! We've done this scene at least fifteen times already!" Yuuichi snapped back, grabbing the camcorder from my hands and pressing the replay button a little harder than a replay button ought to be pressed. "See? My face is so grim in this; I'd probably scare the Reaper and his long, deformed axe away for two more lifetimes!"</p><p>"It's a sickle," I stated plainly, the cool breeze on the rooftop tousling my hair, "and you look frustrated in that, not betrayed. Your song speaks about you having been used unknowingly, and that you've been lied to, but you can't change a thing."</p><p>"Wouldn't I feel frustrated?" He spat out grumpily.</p><p>"I don't have a clue about what happened to you in the past, but if I took a stab at guessing how you felt when you wrote this song, frustration would be the last thing on my list."</p><p>Yuuichi stared long and hard at me with his icy blue irises, and I bit my lip ever so slightly, hoping that I hadn't gone out of line. I had been helping him film parts of the music video for nearly a week after his wound had healed, and it was now Wednesday on the second week of December. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to be working. The emotions he showed on film never seemed to match the ones I sensed were embedded deep inside his song, and my lack of satisfaction with the scenes led to the continuous reshooting of them. The frustration Yuuichi was showing in the shots today was clearly from the lack of progress, not from the song. After a couple of minutes, he was still eyeing me indignantly. I let out a soft sigh, sat down and scratched my head, and he sat down beside me as well.</p><p>"Do you know why I'm reluctant to use all the shots we've taken?" I inquired gently.</p><p>"Because you'll only accept screenplay if it involves fluffy mythical creatures whose names start with a 'poke' and end with a 'mon' ?"</p><p>"Close, but no," I smiled, mentally thanking him for diffusing the tension, "it's because your song is powerful."</p><p>"So?"</p><p>"So the intensity of all the shots so far comes nowhere near to how powerful your lyrics are. It's akin to telling others you found the love of your life, but your face shows that she's about as attractive as yesterday's meatloaf."</p><p>"Basically, it's not real enough for you emotion-wise."</p><p>"It's either real or it isn't. There's no in between," I paused and glanced at him in all seriousness. "Yuuichi, people can tell when it's genuine. There are tons of music videos out there. What makes yours different?"</p><p>He eyed me wearily, and seemed to be caught in an extremely deep dark hole of thought. His jaw clenched in frustration and he stared into the distance.</p><p>"I...I wrote this song a week after I ran away from home, and found out things about my dad that I never should have. Believe me, I really did feel betrayed. Hurt. Angry. Confused," his voice had pain intertwined in it.</p><p>"It hasn't gone away, has it?"</p><p>"Not completely," he sighed, "so, what are we going to do now?"</p><p>I gave it thought. Rushing to film the next scene or pushing Yuuichi again wouldn't be of much use. I remembered an exercise Okasan taught me years ago, when I asked her how she was able to realistically portray so many different emotions. She told me that the easiest way was to visualise an incident that you went through before, when you felt that emotion the strongest.</p><p>"I have an idea," I began quietly, "but it's going to hurt. Mentally."</p><p>"Let me guess. You're going to make me relive the scene."</p><p>"Not make. I'm going to ask nicely." I stated, my voice still just a tiny bit louder than a whisper. "Yuuichi, are you willing to do it?"</p><p>"If that's what it takes, I'm all for the idea," he gave me a wan smile, along with his approval.</p><p>"Okay then. Forget about the video for now, close your eyes, and go through everything that happened that week in your mind, slowly."</p><p>I wasn't sure whether to ask him to say whatever happened out loud to make it more realistic, but I realised that they were his memories of an absolutely heart wrenching experience he'd been through, and I had as much right to butt into his recollections as a lowly elf would have to say something about Santa's coal list for that Christmas. Reclining slightly on the hard tiling of the roof next to him, I noticed his hands clench and unfurl repeatedly, but I sensed that he wasn't able to relive the complete depth of emotions he had experienced years ago, probably because my presence piled on unnecessary pressure. I put a hand on his shoulder, and then whispered that I'd return later, before silently pacing across the roof and back to my apartment.</p><p>...</p><p>I opened the door to the roof twenty minutes later, armed with a fresh box of Kleenex. Yuuichi turned my way and gave me a smile that melted my heart, although I never would admit it to anyone else. He beckoned me to sit beside him, and I could see the recent trail that his tears left on his cheeks. He gratefully took a piece of tissue and wiped his face, and continued to smile serenely at me. Did he want me to melt then and there and make a mess of the rooftop? Sheesh!</p><p>"Why do you look so annoyed?" He continued grinning. "Your experiment was a success. And I think the scoreboard reads 'Yuuichi: one, Yuuichi's demons: zero.'"</p><p>"I take it you're feeling better," I managed to mumble under the sheer power that smile had over me.</p><p>"You did me a favour, Etsu. I was scared of thinking about the incident because I thought it would haunt me more, but it did the exact opposite," he continued, "I owe you one."</p><p>"So, are we going to continue filming now?"</p><p>"Yes, you pokemon-loving perfectionist, we are."</p><p>...</p><p>I was editing the video in the school library the next day, trimming certain scenes to fit in nicely. Yuuichi had made a complete breakthrough yesterday, and we managed to get all the needed shots in nearly one take. It was almost done, and I would need another day or so with the editing. Yuuichi was rather impatient to see the finished product, and badgered me to send him the final video by tomorrow afternoon.</p><p>I was contemplating whether or not to cut a certain scene when I heard my name being whispered. Looking up to its source, I found Hikaru at the other end of the table. I gingerly removed my headphones and tilted my head to one side, wondering what was up. He held a marker in his right hand and a stack of paper in his left. Putting down the marker with a grin, he showed me what was written on the first sheet of paper.</p><p>"You"</p><p>Me? I raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he showed me the second piece of paper.</p><p>"me"</p><p>Him? This was interesting. Hikaru turned the third one over.</p><p>"Tomorrow"</p><p>Did he have a basketball game he wanted me to attend?</p><p>"8pm"</p><p>That's a little late for a basketball match, isn't it?</p><p>"Ice skating rink."</p><p>"That's a weird place for a basketball game!" I blurted out before receiving cold stares from the nerds busily cramming in the library.</p><p>Hikaru laughed soundlessly at me, grabbed the marker and scribbled on another piece of paper.</p><p>"I've got free passes for two, and I don't want to waste them."</p><p>He looked at me expectantly, and then began writing again.</p><p>"You coming?"</p><p>It had been a long time since I managed to spend any time with Hikaru at all, and I was looking forward to ice skating since the weather had gotten everybody bundled up in winter clothing. I grinned and closed my laptop, taking out a piece of paper and grabbing the marker from his hand, before penning something on the white expanse and showing it to him.</p><p>"Sure."</p><p>...</p><p>Friday came around soon enough, and it was the last day of school before the new term next year. I wished my classmates well, telling them to have a merry Christmas and a happy new year, as they enthused about spending the holidays with their family. I tried to filter out their excitement, since I would probably have a slim chance of seeing my family during Christmas this year, or any year for that matter. They had always been invited to numerous parties that I could not be present at, for fear of any chance the paparazzi might have of pouncing on me and my identity unawares. I would be lucky if I even got to wish Okasan a happy birthday on her actual birthday itself.</p><p>I sighed and made my way out of the door, catching a glimpse of the irate Sakura being confined in another classroom, taking part in the first session of cram school for the holidays to improve her horrendous grades. I chuckled at the thought that at least someone was having it worse than I was.</p><p>Yuuichi's music video was almost done, and I just had to tweak the video a bit to match the song he had sent me. I was utterly impressed when I heard the recording of the song; it sounded professional, even though the only instruments at his disposal were his guitar and his mackintosh. He'd probably rerecorded it after we had finished with the music video too, so as to really capture the full range of emotions that song covered.</p><p>Fate plays rather interesting tricks, and I saw the musical genius himself stroll out of the student council room.</p><p>"Finished with the video yet?" He prodded.</p><p>"You impatient kid, ever heard that good things comes to those who wait?" I sighed and carried on with my journey down the hallway.</p><p>"Uh, no. Because this music video isn't just good, it's completely mind-blowingly awesome."</p><p>"Fine fine! I'll send it by today."</p><p>"Promise?"</p><p>"Promise."</p><p>He grinned, waved goodbye, and then started down the hallway to get his guitar from home before heading for his job. He'd even requested an earlier shift that day so he could get home early to see the video. I couldn't help feeling that there was more to it than Yuuichi was letting on, but I couldn't be bothered to get myself confused with thinking about why he was in such a hurry. Emptying out my locker so that I wouldn't have to return to school during the break, I started for home too, hoping to get home early enough to edit the video, send it to Yuuichi, and then change before setting off to the ice skating rink.</p><p>...</p><p>Doesn't it always seem as if the universe is against you and your well-thought out plans? I reached home at 7pm with barely enough time to get changed, so completing the video was out of the question. I didn't want to rush any of it, so I decided to finish it when I returned. One more day of waiting wouldn't kill Yuuichi, would it?</p><p>Leaving my apartment with my gloves and warm woollen hat, I couldn't help but feel that there was something ominous about the way the electronic door bolted shut behind me.</p><p>...</p><p>"Etsu, you've gotten worse since the last time I skated with you!" Hikaru taunted as he whizzed past me.</p><p>"Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet!" I hollered back, deliberately increasing my pace to match his.</p><p>The rink was rather quiet for a Friday night, mostly because many people were at home celebrating the start of the holidays with their families over dinner. Hikaru must have known about my family's absence, and was probably trying to make me feel less lonely. I grinned at his thoughtfulness, which was very hard to match with his current childish behaviour.</p><p>I skated swiftly towards him, and practically drew circles around where he stood, looking rather amused at my antics as well. I managed a laugh and tagged him, then stuck my tongue out. He feigned a mortified gasp, and I squealed as we played a makeshift form of tag.</p><p>"Haha...Etsu, we're too old for this," he panted after a while.</p><p>"I agree, but it's still fun!" I grinned back.</p><p>"There's no denying it," he returned the smile, "I'm going to get food. Wait for me here, will you?"</p><p>I nodded my head, and watched as he exited the rink to buy snacks from a nearby stand. Sighing in contentment, I realised I had spent plenty of my younger years playing with Hikaru, him being such a close friend and a brother. I wondered what had compelled me to tell Yuuichi on the roof that day that I felt closer to Jigglypuff than to Hikaru. It hadn't seemed like a lie, but it was certainly thought-worthy.</p><p>Oh crap! Yuuichi! The video! I muttered under my breath, cursing the fact that I was having so much fun that I'd forgotten to tell Yuuichi that he'd have to wait another day for it. Whipping out my phone, I realised that it was already past ten, and I had three messages and five missed calls from that pervert.</p><p>First message, 8.30pm: Oi. Jigglypuff's girlfriend. Could you send the video now?</p><p>Second message, 9.19pm: Hey Etsu how's it going? At least respond...I kinda need the video asap...</p><p>Third message, 10.15pm: Etsu, seriously, pick up my calls.</p><p>At that moment, my phone vibrated and flashed more jarringly than usual and I was completely sure that it was Yuuichi. Hurriedly answering the call, I nearly yelled into the phone.</p><p>"Etsu? Is that you? Thank goodness! Really, I need the video now."</p><p>"What's wrong?" My eyebrows furrowed. "Why the rush?"</p><p>"I'm...sending it in for a competition," he sounded panicky, "it's...organised by LME. I was afraid that if I told you, you wouldn't help me film."</p><p>Did he think I was that petty? Not wanting to film it because that would make me pissed to be involved in the same company as my family?</p><p>"What nonsense! Wait. When's the deadline? It's tonight isn't it?" I hissed.</p><p>"Well, you can send it over now, and it'll still be eligible."</p><p>I'd take at least fifteen minutes to get home, and it was already 10.50.</p><p>"What time does it close?" My voice was shaky.</p><p>"11pm."</p><p>Oh shit...</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If this is what marathon runners have to put up with during the last hundred metres of an epic race to that velvet red finish line with about eight of their closest competitors approximately two millimetres apart, I don't want to be a marathon runner. Hikaru's bewildered expression when I flung my blister-inducing rental skates at his face and made a run for it was worth seeing over and over again just for laughs, but I was too flustered to bother with explanations.</p><p>I followed the happenings at LME rather religiously, and had heard enough about the yearly amateur music video competition to know that even the consolation prize winners had a chance to record a track of their preference.</p><p>Looking back on that Friday night, I should have had more common sense to hail a cab, instead of making a desperate dash for it. The possibility remains though, that without those annoying traffic lights I stopped at (I cursed all twenty-three of them rather openly, along with that law-abiding nature that Okasan drilled into me), I could have made it home in time. Regardless, it was probably more of a pipe dream for me to be able to run a full five kilometres in ten minutes.</p><p>When I finally made it to the lobby of my tidy apartment block at eleven-fifteen, I was anxious to say the least. I had informed Yuuichi that I was on my way back, and he had taken the liberty to wait for me near the lifts. Granted, my hailstorm of apologies and rants were indiscernible to the human ear, due to my panting from having sprinted all the way back. Yuuichi put up with garbled speech for about ten seconds, before asking me to calm down and catch my breath.</p><p>"I'm sorry I couldn't make it back in time, but couldn't you have told me earlier?" I spat out, when I was capable of comprehendible speech, as I bent down and clutched my quivering knees.</p><p>"Etsuko, it's my fault, and you didn't have to run like the world was going to end," Yuuichi heaved a sigh. "Forget it, its way past the deadline already."</p><p>If Yuuichi thought he could hide the disappointment that was evident in his dejected gaze, he had another thing coming. Working with Yuuichi for the video had made me a lot more sensitive to his emotions he showed, and if he was trying to be distant and nonchalant, he was failing miserably.</p><p>Considering that the competition was organised by LME, I could actually worm my way into Kichirou's sister complex and badger him to recommend Yuuichi's video even though it was late. I for one knew that Mr Sawada's young assistant had an irrevocable crush on my second onii-san, and would easily change the timing of submission for a minute of meaningless banter with him. But I didn't want to use the connections I had.</p><p>It wasn't like I hadn't used the relationships I had to help others before. Earlier this year, when one of my classmates enthused that she'd do anything to have a photo with Kichirou when she waited outside the theatre during a red-carpet event, I couldn't help but ask Kichirou to comply. He did so with commendable grace, and even specifically called her out for a meet-and-greet session, in addition to the photo. The only drawback to asking my enthusiastic playboy brother for help was that he would surely put me in a branded ball gown and take at least ten million photos. It isn't that I'm adverse to the idea of an outfit that doesn't consist of pants, but having shied away from the entertainment industry, I couldn't wrap my head around the notion that I should be allowed to don diamond-studded satin dresses. Hence, I'm extremely uncomfortable in skirts and the like, even though they might be perfectly casual and possibly even better for blending in than an eternal, unchanging attire of cargo pants and graphic tees would ever be. Kichirou regularly uses those photos to have his way with Kaitou, who's got an even bigger sister complex than he does.</p><p>That fact aside, even though I knew it was possible for me to get Yuuichi's video in even if the submission date had been months before, I didn't want to bend the rules just because I could. Besides, Yuuichi had talent, and he'd be able to participate in any other major competition.</p><p>Just as I was about to verbalise my previous train of thought, I saw Yuuichi turn away, with his head hanging a lot lower than what was healthy for his neck.</p><p>"No, I'm not forgetting about it," I grabbed his hand (wow, was it wide) and dragged him into the elevator, jabbing the button that had a '16' imprinted clearly on its polished metal surface.</p><p>"Why? It's already over, and they won't accept it," his eyes widened, "and if you're thinking about making a loophole for me, I'd rather jump into a bottomless trench."</p><p>The elevator doors slid open elegantly and with much more grace than I had as I stormed into the corridor, slightly offended that Yuuichi thought I was going to use underhand means to assist him. Granted, I certainly gave him the impression that I was doing so. At least I knew now that his sense of integrity was a solid rock, even when it boiled down to once in a lifetime opportunities. The competition was the platform Yuuichi needed to be recognised as an artist, and it was unfortunate that he missed it. But I doubted that all hope was lost.</p><p>Yuuichi followed behind as I kept mum and entered my apartment before turning on the computer. Putting the final touches on the video with a very confused Yuuichi breathing down my neck, I entered the official site, which hadn't been closed yet, and uploaded our week's worth of hard work, before pushing the keyboard towards Yuuichi so he could fill in the details. He looked at me, his blue eyes searching mine for some kind of explanation, before relenting and filling in the necessary information. I clicked the 'submit' button and smiled.</p><p>"Even though it won't be eligible, it's still worth a shot," I grinned at him, hoping it would cheer him up somehow, "it'll still be viewed by the talent scouts at LME, and believe me, you're a talent I doubt they want to miss out on."</p><p>"You think so?" His gaze had a bit more hope than the one I saw in the lift lobby.</p><p>"I know so."</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Aren't you supposed to be staying under the radar, rather than attracting the attention of about every living creature that turns your way?" Yuuichi muttered as we hurried down the sidewalk, his thin, white collared shirt doing barely enough to keep the mid-December chill from getting to him.</p><p>"If I dressed normally, anyone would spot me in an instant. But if I do something entirely out of character, no one would suspect a thing!" I tugged uncomfortably at the black suit jacket over my smaller leather one as I attempted to keep up with his pace.</p><p>"Anyone told you how screwed your logic is, Etsu?" He ignored the irate green man pinned to the traffic light, flickering more furiously than usual as we made a mad dash across the road.</p><p>"You'd be the first. And also the first guy to make me wait for him to get dressed. Thanks to you my life is in even greater peril than it is on a regular basis," I added the last sentence in for good measure as my feet touched the other side of the pedestrian crossing moments before the impatient motorists on the road sped past the junction.</p><p>"It's practically an interview! I have to be presentable!"</p><p>"I told you it doesn't matter!"</p><p>"This coming from the person who showed up wearing tight leather pants, a tank top and a black leather jacket that barely covers your midriff in the middle of winter?"</p><p>...</p><p>Right about now, you're probably wondering where we are and what in the world we're doing. That's a good thing to be puzzled about really, because I myself was confounded at that point in time. But to fully understand what was going on as we bickered about clothes and tried to avoid becoming road kill, I'd have to tell you what occurred on Monday, just three days after we sent the video in.</p><p>Yuuichi had gotten a call from the LME offices, regrettably informing him that the video was not eligible, even though they had received it. The idiot whom I call my friend decided that that was all the wonderful people at the entertainment company had to say to him, so he swiftly set down the receiver and went for a shower. Apparently, it wasn't, and his phone rang off the hook for the next ten minutes. (I was watching Otousan's newest tragedy, and it gets a little distracting when your irresponsible neighbour doesn't have the decency to pick up the phone while your dad's bawling his heart out in high definition. The incessant ringing almost drove me to tears as well.)</p><p>After rapping on Yuuichi's door in hopes that he might put me out of my misery by answering the annoying electronic device, the ringing finally halted, and was quickly replaced with victorious shouts of joy. That was soon followed by an unheralded attack from him as he opened his door, recognised the director of his video, and threw his wet, half-soapy arms around me. Turns out LME's famed, WAY-over-the-top President liked the song and its music video so much that he wanted to meet Yuuichi, and possibly discuss the prospect of a contract. Yuuichi enthused that Lory wanted to see the person who assisted him in filming as well, and that we would be visiting the studios the next day at five in the afternoon.</p><p>Yuuichi wasn't sure if I should go, considering that practically everyone at LME would have probably worked with at least three of my family members within the past two decades or more. I assured him, however, that I wouldn't let my guard down and that if Otousan could succeed in fooling well known producers and cameramen in one of his earlier films as a cold-hearted, freak-of-nature murderer, I would be able to do the same. I found outfits in Okasan's closet on Monday night that eerily matched Otousan's costumes in that show, but I shrugged it off and wore one of the more conservative ones in the towering mountain of leather, spikes and the occasional lace.</p><p>I had waited impatiently at the bus stop outside my apartment for an hour before Yuuichi showed up at half-past four, while holding my head up haughtily like any respectable punk would. Although I'm sure I played that "devil-may-care" role well, till today I'm still wondering why so many men of all ages seemed to stare at me with this ravenous gleam in their eyes. Did people get hungrier in winter? I asked Yuuichi that when he finally showed up, but he seemed a tad distracted too when he looked at me. Maybe the weather was messing with male brains and giving them all this glazed expression. But what I do know was that Yuuichi was kind enough to lend me his more formal black jacket, seeing that my outfit didn't keep much of my chest or stomach warm.</p><p>...</p><p>"Here, I'll give your jacket back," I hastily unbuttoned it as the elevator doors of LME slid soundlessly shut.</p><p>After twenty minutes of frenzied brisk walking, Yuuichi must have felt cold without his jacket, and I felt bad for making him suffer in silence. I handed the black piece of clothing back to its rightful owner before he could protest (he tried to, and I still don't know why), and then tugged a little at my own clothing. Leather, as I had come to realise over the past hour or so, wasn't very comfortable, especially when it had been sitting stiff in the closet for years. I was pulling on the ends of the too-short jacket when a hand closed around mine.</p><p>"Stop yanking it already, it'll do for now," Yuuichi looked at a random corner of the lift, "just don't ever dress like this again. Ever."</p><p>I mumbled under my breath and prepared for a change in my character. Using my blonde hair and American accent to convince the wonderful people at LME I was nothing less than a mysterious, talented foreigner, I opened my dark eyes and let my no nonsense character take form within me. I had modelled it after my mother's cold businesswoman act earlier this year, and added touches of playfulness to it as well. I slipped into the role easily, and wondered if I connected more with this character than I did my usual self.</p><p>"Well, Etsu wouldn't normally dress like this. And now I'm Emily Hart, your kick-ass director," I referred to the name I had decided to go by in case anyone else suspected my real identity. "So don't you dare tell me what to do, cause I'm calling the shots."</p><p>"Whoa," the surprise in Yuuichi's voice was apparent as he turned back to face me with his trademark smirk, "sassy."</p><p>...</p><p>"I like the concept of the video, especially how it shows Yuuichi being alone without anyone to trust. It's breaking out of the normal feel-good songs," the President gave us a wan smile, "it's out of my character to say that I enjoyed it, but it was poignant and reminded me of a youth I knew a long time ago, his passion coupled with his despair. Your voice and music really speaks to the soul. I never thought that anyone else could go through that wide range of emotions, but here you are, doing that, and allowing it to be captured on film. "</p><p>I gave a satisfied grin and leaned back comfortably in my seat on the sofa, lounging as if I had been in the President's office countless times. I glanced lazily around the room and realised that this was a far cry from the over-decorated monstrosities he frequently put together. The space was clear and simple, with huge glass windows looking over Tokyo's landscape, and its interior was filled with functional furniture. It seemed to me that when the President took things seriously, he did it with flair and gusto as well. I had never met the President before, but now I knew why my entire family adored him. He felt like family to me already, but I couldn't let him find out who I was, lest he told my parents (or grandparents) and kick up a ruckus.</p><p>"But what I would like to know, Yuuichi," the President referred to the piece of paper in his hands, smiled and continued, "Aki Yuuichi, is why you submitted the video late."</p><p>"President –" Yuuichi began, but was interrupted.</p><p>"Lory, call me Lory."</p><p>"Well then, Lory, thanks for the earlier compliment," Yuuichi smiled and stated smoothly, "it was my fault the video was late, because I didn't want to tell Emily that I was going to submit it. I was foolish to fear that she would not support the idea. But when she did find out, she went out of her way to get it in, even though I had already given up."</p><p>"Really?" the President seemed interested by his words, and turned to face me. "Emily, you filmed the video?"</p><p>"Yes, I did," I replied with a reasonable amount of detachment, and then grinned bemusedly, "although I prefer to think I directed it, instead of solely filming."</p><p>"Emily, are you looking for a contract here with LME as well?"</p><p>"No, sir, I am not. I would be happy enough to see Yuuichi get signed."</p><p>The mere thought of allowing myself to be a part of the entertainment industry was already daunting.</p><p>"What a shame, I was considering giving you a shot," Lory sighed. "Well, I do want to further discuss the video with you, but then you'll be free to go. Yuuichi, if you'd go to the conference room, my assistant will go through the details of the contract with you, and you can choose whether or not to accept it."</p><p>"Arigato, Lory-sama," Yuuichi bowed formally and left the room, as I remained on the sofa, watching as the President got out of his seat and locked the door.</p><p>The silence was deafening as Lory returned from having bolted the door shut. He took a couple of steps closer to where I sat, and on the inside, I was petrified by his actions. What was he going to do? Had he already figured out who I was? Definitely not, he had never met me before, and even if anyone had told him I existed, my current personality was so different from whom I really was. My cool exterior threatened to crumble as I sat there motionless, waiting for Lory to say something. But what made the situation more unnerving was the fact that he remained silent, and instead observed me with unreadable eyes.</p><p>"Stand," he commanded, and his authoritative tone made me obey at once.</p><p>He eyed me suspiciously, and I gulped, hoping that maybe my sudden dry throat would disappear. This had to be even scarier than dealing with that drunkard from months ago, or even Sakura in all her controlling of Youdai High. I saw Lory put his hands on his hips and stared one final time at me.</p><p>"Etsuko, what are you doing here?"</p><p>CRAP!</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"H-how..." I stammered incoherently.</p><p>Lory's gaze fixed on my own petrified eyes as they widened in shock. He knew! And now he would tell my parents, and possibly my brothers, that I dared to make a move into the industry. That I dared to act as someone else and break their image of a perfect family! I winced and turned my dark eyes away before the guilt could consume me. I should have known never to accompany Yuuichi to –</p><p>"Oh my goodness Etsuko! Etsuuuu! I finally get to meet you! All these years of your parents hiding you away from me!" I wasn't sure how Lory had pulled me into a tight hug, but I was currently suffocating in his arms. "Those selfish brats, thinking they could fool me if they tried hard enough!"</p><p>"Lory-san, how did you...?" I sputtered as he released me.</p><p>"Ah, I might be old, but you've got your mom's spunk, and your dad's cool appearance," he folded his arms in satisfaction. "And also because you're wearing the same clothes that I gave your mom years ago."</p><p>"You gave Okasan tight leather outfits?" My eyes bugged out.</p><p>"Well, it was to protect that baka you have for a father," the President of one Japan's leading entertainment industries let out an immature pout, "and all these years he doesn't even let me get a glimpse of his 'little angel' that he sent to Kuu to raise! To think I helped him when he came to me all dark and haunted at 15!"</p><p>Was Lory GLAD to see me? And what did he mean that these outfits for Okasan were to protect Otousan? He'd probably go hormonally insane if she wore anything close to these figure hugging pants. This place was getting weirder and weirder by the second. No wonder my family was keeping me away from all this insanity. I decided to clear things up before they got out of hand.</p><p>"Lory-san, I'm only here because I helped Yuuichi film the video, and I just wanted to help him, that's it. Please, please don't tell Okasan and Otousan I came; it'd only make them worried and try to convince me to stay out of the limelight."</p><p>"Etsu, what are you talking about, I won't tell them a thing! They kept you away from me, but still rave about you till no end!" Lory huffed indignantly. "Your dad's a HUGE oya-baka. Every time we meet he enthuses about how you've got his hair, his eyes, your mom's face, it pisses me off because I've never got to meet you even once! He's worse than your grandfather was!"</p><p>Oh wow. This was interesting information that I could blackmail Otousan with if I ever had to. The almighty Tsuruga Ren going on and on about his flat-chested, near non-existent daughter? I shook my head to get back to the conversation at hand.</p><p>"I don't get it, why won't you tell them? Wouldn't you be worried if a sixteen year old joined the industry without her parents' consent?"</p><p>"You want to join showbiz?" Lory's eyes twinkled with even more excitement, which a moment before I conceived as impossible.</p><p>This question was rather interesting. You would think that someone like me would have heard it often, but the truth was that no one had asked me that as directly as he had. As a result, I had never really thought about the answer that truly resonated deep within my heart, and I resigned to giving the standard train of thought that I had repeated in my mind numerous times over the past few years.</p><p>"I can't act. Or sing. Or dance," I somehow found it tough to lie to the President, "I'm not good enough."</p><p>"Is that what you think?" His tone had changed completely, and he was looking at me with somewhat accusatory eyes.</p><p>I couldn't give an answer. What was it about him that scared me stiff, that made me feel that this wasn't the reply he was expecting? I felt even worse than I did when I thought he was going to tell my parents about me being in the LME offices. There was a tone of finality in his voice, and something inside told me there was a window of opportunity open, one where I could finally be able to prove myself, but it was closing. Fast.</p><p>"If that's what you think, then I'm sorry, you're not good enough for LME either," he started towards the door, "don't even think of coming back to-"</p><p>"Yes. I'm not good enough to act, or sing, or dance. I don't even think I'm good enough to join the industry," I paced slowly toward Lory, and he paused before turning around to face me. "But what I do know is that I love working with people and seeing them bring out sides in themselves they never thought could possibly exist. I love being there for others, especially if they know they can count on me. I love the feel of creating something new, I love standing behind the camera and weaving a story for all to see. If joining showbiz means that I can continue loving these things, I'll do whatever it takes."</p><p>"Whatever it takes?" He echoed my words with a faint smile.</p><p>"Whatever it takes," I affirmed.</p><p>Somehow, I didn't like that mischievous smile on his face.</p><p>...</p><p>"Ah, Etsu-chan, hold still! Just one more clip and I'll be able to put the wig on!"</p><p>"Jelly-san, it hurts! And I'm NOT wearing those skirts you set out!"</p><p>"Why? Your Okasan was more sporting than you are at your age!" I saw her grin reflected in the mirror, illuminated even further by the professional lighting behind it. "And don't forget, you promised Lory you'd do whatever it takes."</p><p>I muttered a silent prayer and hoped that whatever roller-coaster ride my life was currently being taken on, I would come out of it with all my innards intact.</p><p>...</p><p>I was a little apprehensive to step out of the dressing room. A complete makeover was an understatement; Jelly had chosen bright red for my fake tresses, and had clothed me in a sleek strapless black dress that stopped mid thigh, before giving me a pseudo beige military jacket to drape over my shoulders. If that wasn't enough, she had amazingly convinced me to get into a pair of black laced knee-high boots, which according to her, made my legs seem even longer than they already were. I twirled an end of my red wig that stopped about four inches below the jacket's collar, and apprehensively slid on the thin-framed glasses she had handed me before setting off to clean up, while mumbling that I should have allowed her to do make up as well. I hadn't had the guts to look in the mirror either, and took a deep breath before heading back to Lory's office next door.</p><p>That man had a whole lot of nerve to pull something like this on me! I shook my head and muttered curses under my breath, though I subconsciously knew I should have seen it coming, him having dyed Otousan's locks black and putting Okasan in an eye-blinding neon pink suit for months on end. The slick metal bangles around my wrist weighed my arm down as I pushed open the door to his office, suddenly realising that it was covered in tinsel, unlike the normal wood it was thirty minutes earlier.</p><p>"Lory Ojiiii-san, I can't believe you'd actually do this to – "</p><p>My voice trailed off as I stared at the room. I just have to say this. WHAT KIND OF MAN IS MY FAMILY WORKING FOR?</p><p>Gone was the practical furniture. The clear glass windows were clear no longer; they had been sprayed with the highest quality fake snow there was around, and were currently fatally drowning in tinsel and evergreen wreaths. A towering Christmas tree had replaced the sleek coffee table and sofa set in dead centre of the room, fully decorated with automated Christmas lighting. His assistant, dressed as a joyful elf in festive green greeted me cheerfully, ignoring my lower jaw, which had been locked in place about a metre or so below my upper jaw. And within the same thirty minutes, Lory had managed to acquire a slim, spanking santa suit, which he coupled with a braided beard.</p><p>"Etsu! You look just about as fabulous as my decorations! Aren't they gorgeous?" He grinned at me as my dumbfounded gaze finally made its way to him. "Look! Inflatable chimney set! Milk and cookies included!"</p><p>I stared wordlessly at him. No wonder Hikaru's mom wanted a hiatus. And was that reindeer I saw in the corner?</p><p>"It's nice...but don't you think you're overdoing it?" I replied tentatively.</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Even a teensy bit?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"At all?"</p><p>"Maybe I could do without the braided beard."</p><p>Looking back, I sincerely thank the President for making me forget all about my apprehension regarding my complete change in looks, and replacing it with incredulous wonder instead.</p><p>...</p><p>I stepped out of the tinsel tsunami, brushing off the loose feathers that had attached themselves onto the jacket Jelly had loaned me. Following Lory's last instructions to look for Yuuichi in the conference room, I gingerly started down the corridor, hoping never to run into anymore nutcases. Knocking on the door politely, I then pushed it open.</p><p>Yuuichi was sitting alone at the other end of the long conference table, and he looked up from the stack of papers when I entered. Strangely, he seemed out of it today, and didn't once look back at his contract from the moment I made my way towards him. Why was he looking at me as if he'd never seen me before in his life? Was it the winter weather curse again?</p><p>He stood up when I neared and more or less abandoned the important piece of paper as he carelessly left it on the table. This action shocked me really, because he needed to be paying more attention to it than anything else. I couldn't tell what in the world he was thinking; I'd never seen this expression on him before.</p><p>"I'm sorry, who are you?" His voice held a great amount of bewilderment.</p><p>"Yuuichi, what kind of question is that?" I shot at him, then realised that his gaze was fixated on my clothes and oddly enough, my hair.</p><p>"Etsu is that...wow you're...you don't normally look like this..." his voice trailed off.</p><p>Oh, that's right; he must have been utterly shocked by Jelly's work. Argh, I knew trusting the President was a bad idea! How could I even fathom for one minute that I would be able to join showbiz? No amount of make-up or make-overs, and even if it was remotely possible to do make-unders, would be able to conceal who I truly was, a person unfit for the business.</p><p>"Ah, the President blackmailed me into this! I'll go ask him to take this overdone disguise off immediately!" Embarrassment threatened to overwhelm me as I was all set to burst out blathering apologies and running straight for the nearest exit.</p><p>"No, Etsu," Yuuichi tugged on my sleeve and looked away for a nanosecond, "I...this contract is for both of us. I can't join LME unless you do. It doesn't state your name, but it explicitly demands that you join as well, as a director."</p><p>Puzzled, I leaned over and grabbed the paper, which confirmed what Yuuichi had told me in ink. He had been given the paper way before Lory knew who I was, and needless to say before I even said those three blasted words (whatever it takes! (ugh)) which he had been using to haunt me. I clenched my empty fist in frustration as Yuuichi let out a light chuckle.</p><p>"Guess they needed more pokemon-loving professionals in the working world," I turned to see Yuuichi give a genuine smile, as if he was actually glad that I had to join the agency alongside him, "oh, and, you look good in that."</p><p>...</p><p>My cheeks were still tinted with the same festive Christmas colour my hair was as I stepped out of the conference room behind Yuuichi, after settling all the required documents and avoiding a hurricane of decorations. Lory had kept the braided beard, and had added a few more reindeer to his collection. Yuuichi's shock was comparable to mine when he caught a fleeting glimpse of Lory's office, with the inflatable chimney and its blow-up brethren. I still have a sneaking suspicion that an asylum somewhere in the world has been missing one of its patients for the past three decades.</p><p>We started out to the lift lobby, and as it was already six, most of the staff had begun to leave. I couldn't understand why even more male homosapiens were looking my way as compared to before, and when I turned to Yuuichi for an explanation, he just stared grumpily on ahead. Shrugging my shoulders, I leaned against the wall, waiting for the lift to arrive. I scanned my surroundings, trying to scout out actors or actresses I had seen before in any of LME's productions. Recognising many of them, I beamed, feeling as if I knew everyone already, and that I would actually enjoy being here.</p><p>There was even Megumi Kotone entering the lift lobby in style, that young actress who had managed to capture Kaitou Onii-san's heart! I let out an impish grin and continued watching her, traipsing gleefully into the lobby, with a flower-patterned skirt and a light, feminine blouse, not unlike what Okasan used to wear when she was younger. To my dismay, there was another male actor following right behind her, his tall, lanky legs clothed with a well-tailored suit. Oh no! Was love blooming between my brother's crush and one of the many rivals he had, vying for her attention? My brother had only been away for two weeks to promote that new "Tsuruga family" short film! She would have to survive another week before he returned! I muttered a silent prayer of protection for Megumi-san's heart, and proceeded to memorise the face of the person who was a huge threat to my brother's future happiness. Dark hair, defined jaw, warm golden eyes...had I seen this person somewhere before?</p><p>"Etsu, isn't that your brother entering the room?" Yuuichi pointed subtly in the same direction.</p><p>Crap. So that's why he looked so familiar.</p><p>"Etsu, you might want to say something to me, not freeze," Yuuichi shook me gently, "now's not the time to freeze."</p><p>"I...I can't let him find out I'm here. No way. I know another lift lobby at the south wing."</p><p>"We can't run off now. Your bright red hair's a huge attention grabber," Yuuichi looked over his shoulder, "and he's getting closer. Any ideas?"</p><p>I filtered through different ploys I had seen over the years in dramas and movies, but I never thought I would need to desperately need to utilise one at all. My mind zoomed in on one that I knew would be foolproof, but the thought of actually executing it was scary. Yuuichi had already moved closer in a futile attempt to shield my face away from Kaitou's view, but I knew my brother would sense something was off and probably find an excuse to engage two unfamiliar faces in friendly banter, while simultaneously trying to figure out who we were. If he took even one glimpse at my face, he'd know.</p><p>"I've got one, but you're not going to like it," I looked straight into his slightly worried blue eyes.</p><p>"You don't have time for this," Yuuichi warned, "hurry up and do it already, I'll play along."</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Yuuichi."</p><p>I threw my hands round his head, brought his face down to mine, squeezed my eyes shut and kissed him on the lips.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The way my mouth collided with his was comparable to two steel tankers ramming each other at the highest speed attainable. Our teeth clashed and honestly, it hurt. I winced, not daring to open my eyes in fear that Kaitou might spot me, or even worse, that I'd see Yuuichi's flabbergasted face. The only thing on my mind right then was to elude any detection, and the way Yuuichi had frozen stiff wasn't a good sign. Kaitou would know instantly that it wasn't real!</p><p>"Now's not a good time to freeze either! I know you're pissed at me but please, please just pretend," I whispered softly into his ear as I buried my face in the smooth expanse of his skin stretching from his shoulder to his neck.</p><p>"Okay Etsu, I'll...pretend," Yuuichi murmured in response, leaving me wondering if his voice had always been that deep.</p><p>His mouth met mine again and his lips moved gently across my own, and it felt pleasant this time. Predictable even. Only one of his palms cupped my face, and his warmth radiated from it. I wasn't sure, but it felt like an entire crew of STOMP drummers had made the inside of my heart their latest performance stage, pounding against my chest in a desperate bid to make ends meet. Mint; he smelled a little like mint when I took a chance to breathe deeply. Unconsciously, I pulled him a little closer, but he put up resistance and continued to only brush his lips against mine. Then, all too soon, the near non-existent pressure on my lips was gone and he pulled back.</p><p>I realised how tightly I had been clutching him and disentangled my arms from around his neck in sheer embarrassment. Glancing furtively at the lift lobby and confirming that Kaitou had left, I heaved a sigh of relief and turned to Yuuichi, who was staring down at me with a frown on his face. Oh no! He was mad at me, wasn't he? I bit my lower lip after turning a bright shade of red, and then hurriedly glanced away.</p><p>The turmoil in me grew greater as we left LME and the setting sun cast long shadows of us against the pavement. I tucked my hands firmly into my pockets as we walked home in uncomfortable silence. When we were about a block away from our apartment, I couldn't take it any longer, and burst out into what my brothers have termed as an "Okasan-moment".</p><p>"I'm so SO sorry I violated your privacy and stole a kiss and I even made you pretend I'm sorry I'm sorry oh no please don't kill me? No that wasn't a question. Please don't kill me!" I rambled on and on, and now as I look back, even if he was going to slaughter me there and then I could have picked better last words than those.</p><p>I watched as the frown on his face ebbed away slowly and a rather pained expression took over. It was as if he was forcing himself to smile at me, and that made me feel even worse.</p><p>"Etsu, I'm not angry because you kissed me," his eyes conveyed honesty to mine, "I'm annoyed because I'm thinking if you're willing to go to such lengths to protect your identity, you'd probably kiss any other guy as well."</p><p>"You make me sound as if I'm a kissing monster," I miraculously unearthed my ability to inject sarcasm into that sentence despite all the awkwardness.</p><p>"That gives really bad kisses. Couldn't you at least aim right? My teeth still hurt!"</p><p>"It was a do-or-die thing! Besides, you said you would play along!"</p><p>"How'd I know you were out to put a dent in my jaw?"</p><p>And with that, the tense moment was over as we squabbled all the way to Shujin-san's ramen shop.</p><p>...</p><p>I found myself sitting on the rooftop that night, or technically early in the morning, enjoying the scenery and cool breeze. The President had specified in the contract that he wanted to reshoot the music video with proper cast, crew and equipment, and that I was to spearhead it as well. I sighed and flipped a page on my notebook, waiting for inspiration to strike like a lightning bolt. (Hence, I was sitting on the roof. There was a higher chance of being struck here.) He had given us two days to settle the new script and directions, and even though I had spent four full hours after dinner thinking it through, there were certain scenes that I felt unsure about cutting or changing. Perplexed, I had called Yuuichi to come up as well, hopefully to give his opinion on what should be in his music video.</p><p>The said teenager sauntered lazily towards where I was sitting and sank down on a tile beside me, rubbing his eyes and looking slightly dazed. We had parted ways after dinner, right after he had warned me to go straight home and not to stop anywhere else along the way. I also remembered him telling me that he was going to the bar to inform the manager of his recent employment at LME, which meant that he would probably stop performing at that nightspot. He must have had a drink or two after breaking the news to his employer, and was now feeling rather grumpy for being dragged out of his apartment instead of being allowed to rest.</p><p>"Getting a new job is no excuse to get drunk," I greeted him as he rubbed his temples a little.</p><p>"You're my director, not my manager," he mumbled.</p><p>I proceeded to discuss the scenes to be kept and to be cut, and I could tell that Yuuichi was contributing as much as he could in his partially inebriated state. After a while, I realised I should wait until he sobered up entirely before continuing, especially since he had just suggested that I should scrap the roof scene and put little ballerina pokemon into the video instead.</p><p>"But they'll be wearing pink! Everybody likes pink!" Yuuichi slurred slightly.</p><p>"Fine, this can wait till tomorrow," I conceded, and shook my head at the person I would be calling my partner for the next two weeks until the video had been finished.</p><p>"Pink and fuzzy! Oh my goodness that's a winning combination! Write it down Etsu! Write it!"</p><p>"I'm pleased to know you share my passion for pokemon."</p><p>I was glad that Yuuichi wasn't avoiding me like the plague even though I'd done something so disrespectful to him. We were even able to joke about it earlier, and now we were bantering as if nothing had happened between us. Maybe kisses weren't that life-changing after all. I must admit that I did find the kiss pleasant, but in all honesty it wasn't anything to go head over heels for. Since Yuuichi and I had always been frank with each other, I decided to speak my mind about it.</p><p>"Don't you think kissing is overrated?" I began.</p><p>"What makes you say that?" Yuuichi calmly responded, turning to face me as he leaned on the metal railing.</p><p>"You know all those shows where the main leads kiss and suddenly they can't love anyone else?"</p><p>"And your point is?" He raised an eyebrow inquisitively.</p><p>"I mean, when we kissed just now, it was nice and all, but I don't think it left much of an impression on me."</p><p>"At all?" He pouted. "Well, you're the bad kisser, so I guess it can't be helped."</p><p>"I'm not bad at it! My main goal was to evade detection!" I argued. "Maybe you're the bad kisser after all!"</p><p>"Well, I doubt that very much," he stated indignantly, and then grinned impishly, "but I have a way to solve this problem."</p><p>"What, we kiss again?" I replied in a monotone. "Who's the kissing monster now?"</p><p>"I figure if we're going to kiss, we might as well do it right. Who knows if you're going to have to hide from more people using that tactic again?"</p><p>My eyes widened at this. Was he serious? Wasn't kissing supposed to be something special reserved for two people who loved each other, not to settle some silly squabble between good friends?</p><p>"Yuuichi, you're drunk. Go home." I stood up and began to make my way to the door of the roof.</p><p>"So that's that then. You're the bad kisser. And you took advantage of me, but you don't have the guts to actually give me a real kiss."</p><p>"It's not that I'm a coward!" Nearly yelling at him, I whirled around.</p><p>Yuuichi was still sitting on the tiles and leaning against the railing, with that same pained expression I saw in the afternoon. I wasn't sure what he was thinking, or what he wanted. All I knew was that something had been messing with his brain, and alcohol was the prime suspect. Yet, why was he acting like this? I couldn't figure anything out and it was all so strange. Was it just me or did it seem as if he was trying to pull every string he could in order for me to kiss him? I was sure of one thing though, I really didn't like that face he was making. He looked worse than he did while filming the video, like someone had punched him in the stomach and then twisted his ankle in ways ankles shouldn't be twisted. It made my heart feel even more wretched than it currently was confused.</p><p>"I know you're not," he gave a wan smile.</p><p>"Yuuichi, I don't understand," I approached him cautiously, "what's wrong? Are you okay?"</p><p>"If I say nothing's wrong, you're sure to call my bluff."</p><p>"So tell me. We're friends, aren't we?"</p><p>Yuuichi tore his gaze off the drab grey tiles to meet my worried eyes.</p><p>"That's exactly what's wrong."</p><p>...</p><p>Back in my room, I tossed and turned on the bed. After Yuuichi had said that last sentence to me, he'd taken off back into his apartment, and left me staring slightly agape on the roof. If confusion was a disease, it was probably incurable now, spreading through my system like wildfire. I couldn't stand that a close friend of mine was in such inconceivable agony, but what really drove me insane was the fact that I didn't even know what was wrong. To top it off, it was something that he couldn't tell me about! And what did he mean that something was wrong with us being friends? At least he didn't lie to me, so I knew he wasn't brushing me off, but all this was way too confusing.</p><p>My thoughts drifted back to the kiss, or rather the lip-collision, we had in LME. He didn't seem to be too enthusiastic when he was kissing me, and anyhow I had asked him to pretend. It wasn't real, but somehow or rather something within me liked how Yuuichi was close to me, and actually enjoyed how he smelled like fresh mint. I even remembered how my arms had wound up around his neck, and how it actually felt like it fit snugly there. I could almost imagine putting my head gently on his shoulder again, feeling his warmth. Or even when he had that accident a week or two earlier, and his hands just enveloped mine. My heart suddenly sped up, and I wondered if the air-conditioning had suddenly stopped working. I gasped in horror.</p><p>Did I love him?</p><p>No, it couldn't be. All the things I had just thought out were just Yuuichi's physical aspects. Okasan had told me before that attraction and love were two different things. I saw more of Yuuichi than anyone else, especially since we lived so near to each other (less than four vertical metres apart) and also because we attended the same school. It had to be just attraction, nothing else. I had never felt love before, but people always told me that love felt nice and warm. This was just plain confusing, so it had to be attraction. It had to be.</p><p>I sighed in contentment now that I had figured everything out. The only cure to this attraction would be to squash anything within me that thought Yuuichi liked me as well. Clearly, he didn't. Sure, he treated me well, and I was one of the few he opened up to, but there was still Kaichou and plenty of other girls out there that he would probably be able to get close to. Competition for his affections was rife in school, and now that he had secured a contract with LME, he would certainly be sought after by almost all of Japan's female population. That, of course, would be welcome by the industry and catapult him to greater heights of stardom, so I couldn't let my attraction to him interfere with his career.</p><p>What Yuuichi needed now would be someone he could trust, and a friend that could back him up no matter what happened in showbiz. I knew I could trust him, but he may not have been sure that he could trust me with anything. I got out of bed slowly and tied my blonde hair into a lazy bun, before doing a quick search on the internet as to what would help with hangovers. After putting together a concoction of milk, banana and honey, I started up the stairs to Yuuichi's apartment.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the same second that Yuuichi opened his door, he took one quick glance at me, and managed to slam it shut before I had even uttered a word. No one wants to have a sturdy, rectangular piece of wood nearly colliding with their shell shocked face at about two in the morning, and thus I rapped the door yet again to demand entrance into the apartment, as well as an explanation for his bizarre behaviour.</p><p>The piece of wood creaked ever so slightly before remaining ajar at a miniscule angle away from the door frame, and was then suddenly flung wide open. Yuuichi had changed into a printed t-shirt and grey slacks, and he was staring at me with an interesting mix of incredulity and disbelief. I watched perplexed as he raised an index finger and aimed it squarely at my shoulder, before stabbing rather viciously with it.</p><p>"Ow! What's wrong with you today?" I exclaimed, rubbing the now sore spot on my shoulder.</p><p>"Oh my gosh! You're real!"</p><p>It was hard to describe, but right then, it looked as if Yuuichi was bouncing up and down on the spot, brimming with newfound excitement. And let me tell you, the sight of a sixteen year old, 1.8 metre tall male jumping up and down like a small kid in a bouncy castle could well traumatize anybody. It reminded me vaguely of a giraffe on crack, but I digress.</p><p>"You expected me to be an apparition of sorts?"</p><p>"Well, it's late, I'm drunk, so I wouldn't be surprised if the sky falls down," he turned away and stumbled towards the couch, tripping over his feet and landing flat on the marble floor in the process. "See? The sky just fell!"</p><p>I set the water bottle containing the banana and honey milkshake I had blended on his kitchen counter, and then gingerly entered the living room of his apartment, trying to ignore the scent of alcohol that permeated the air throughout the confines of his flat. One look at the classy coffee table and I realised he had been consuming more alcohol within the past hour; the glass top boasted two decanters of differing vintage ports and half a bottle of 1997 Bordeaux red. Gosh. Was LME's latest talent a closet alcoholic?</p><p>Well, he certainly was an upper-class alcoholic from the looks of it, and with very good taste indeed. I gave a wan smile as I recalled how Otousan and Ojisan had taught me to distinguish and appreciate finer wines, and it certainly seemed that Yuuichi possessed similar skills. These three potent drinks, however, had price tags that matched their alcoholic content. Surely it would have burned a hole in his pants, if not fried them to an unidentifiable crisp. Why was Yuuichi so rich anyway? Noticing that my friend had slowly but surely made his way into the plush beige sofa he owned, I watched a little worriedly as he began to reach for another glass of red. Picking up the decanters and bottle, I set the drinks on the kitchen counter safely away from Yuuichi's reach, and then substituted the wine glass for a mug of my homemade brew.</p><p>"Yuuichi, talk to me," I settled into the couch beside him, "What made you do this?"</p><p>Yuuichi's head suddenly found a nice parking spot on the nook between my neck and shoulder, and he heaved a sigh as he made himself at home. The initial action shocked me. In all the months I had shared a class with him at Youdai High, he had barely made physical contact with any other female student, but here he was, acting all familiar with me. Silence ensued, and I wasn't sure if the raven-haired drunk had fallen sound asleep until he spoke softly.</p><p>"I saw my father today."</p><p>"Go on," I murmured.</p><p>"He's the asshole I wrote the song for, same one you've been editing," he spat the words out as though they tasted vile on his tongue. "Walked right into the bar like he owned the place, and treated my friends behind the counter like dirt on combat boots."</p><p>When I had sprained my ankle months ago, Yuuichi told me that his father was never there for him. This same man that neglected his duties as a parent was now rude and brazen as well? The picture Yuuichi painted of him didn't seem to be a masterpiece, and the song he wrote made my heart ache for Yuuichi. Whoever Yuuichi's father was, he sounded like a first-class jerk.</p><p>"Did he recognise you?"</p><p>"Recognise me?" Yuuichi gave a cynical scoff. "That bastard doesn't even know I exist."</p><p>There was nothing I could do but listen to Yuuichi. The hurt, the pain, the hate; it was all evident in great amounts, which I suspected Yuuichi had been burying deep within all these years. I doubted he had spoken about his family to anyone in Japan either, and I was certainly curious why he had chosen me as a confidant. Then again, the alcohol he downed must have loosened his lips, and all he really needed was someone to hear him out.</p><p>"He's just a selfish brat, and I still don't see why my mom loves him, or wants to protect him so badly. Whenever she writes, she keeps telling me to stay out of his way. To forgive him. I try and I try, but I can't. Not after what he's done to her." Yuuichi turned to face me, his eyes sore and full of anguish. "Okasan gave up everything to protect him, her career, even her friends. Is it strange that she's forgiven him, but I can't?"</p><p>"No, it isn't," I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, even though I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, or what Yuuichi couldn't forgive him for.</p><p>"You know, right Etsu; you know what it's like hide from the rest of the world. But I've got to hide from my own father. For HIS bloody sake. So I don't jeopardise HIS career."</p><p>I couldn't believe I had once regarded my life as one of loneliness and pain. Even though I rarely got to see my family, I knew they loved me, and they never failed to encourage or approve of my actions. Beside me was someone who had neither a family to go to, nor people to encourage him, and in fact, the same blood ties that bound him to his father and mother were tearing him apart inside. He clenched his fists in anger and frustration before turning away.</p><p>"I just had to see him today, after I joined the same industry he did. Believe it or not, I always thought that surpassing him would be my only chance of making him realise what he's been missing out on. But now I see that I can't change a thing, and what's worse," he looked straight at me, "is that I'm scared, no, terrified, that I'll end up like him."</p><p>Yuuichi slumped down into the sofa, looking as if he'd used up all his energy just to translate whatever that had been haunting him into comprehendible words. Though I now had a few major clues and insights into Yuuichi's past, there were many more unanswered questions. For example, who was his father anyway, especially if he had been in showbiz before? Why did Yuuichi's mother see it as necessary to run instead of figuring things out? Was Yuuichi's father really that selfish? But these were questions that could be left unanswered for now.</p><p>I took this chance to poke the despondent Yuuichi in the ribs.</p><p>"Who are you and what have you done with Yuuichi? He's always helping others, and he knows exactly what to say. He's the one who I've never been worried about, until the day I found him bleeding after jumping on a couch, and maybe today after I found him drunk," I threw a withering look at him. "He's the one that gives more when he feels like giving up."</p><p>"I'm not who you think I am, Etsu."</p><p>"Of course you're not. You're not the Yuuichi I know. So spit him out."</p><p>"You'd freak if you found out who I really was."</p><p>There was something about the way he said it that sent a chill up my spine. What was he talking about? I couldn't bear to see him like this for any longer. He was trying to push me away, probably convinced that if I became too close to him, he'd drag me down into a dark abyss. That, however, would mean that he would have to suffer alone, and I wouldn't allow that. Maybe I had been a little too harsh using that method to comfort him, like how he had utterly confused me on the rooftop earlier.</p><p>"I'm sorry Yuuichi, but I've never seen you like this before. I...I don't know how to react."</p><p>"Did I scare you?" There was concern in his voice as he saw me shake my head. "I apologise, please, just be yourself."</p><p>"You're the first person I know who has perfect manners when drunk."</p><p>"You're the first person I know who comforts her drunk friend by telling him to spit his real self out."</p><p>"Well, that was the best line I could come up with at the time," I smiled as the smirk I was so used to spread across his face.</p><p>"Well, try harder next time."</p><p>I grinned, glad the Yuuichi I knew was starting to show signs of returning. I watched as he sat up and lifted the mug that I had set in front of him, eyeing it suspiciously.</p><p>"Where did you put the Bordeaux? Gimme back my wine!" he whined.</p><p>"No way. Drink up; it'll keep the hangover monster from getting you tomorrow morning."</p><p>Yuuichi pouted, then sipped it, his eyes lighting up for a while, before hanging his head down and languidly placing the drink back on the coffee table. It seemed as if he regretted something, but the atmosphere that encircled him now was different from the bleakness he exuded earlier. I decided to let him take his time to collect his thoughts as he raised his head to face me.</p><p>"I never imagined you'd come back after I just brushed you off on the rooftop earlier."</p><p>"Ah, I know, we can't be just friends, especially now I know all about your deep, dark past," I mused as Yuuichi sat straight up, looking rather flabbergasted, and though I had no idea why, hopeful as well.</p><p>"So we're..." he began tentatively.</p><p>"Best friends!"</p><p>I exclaimed the phrase with much enthusiasm. Shouldn't I have realised this before? We enjoyed each other's company well enough, and counting today, I'd helped him almost as much as he'd helped me ever since I came to Japan. It would make sense that we'd not just be friends; we'd be best friends! Why hadn't I seen this earlier? He'd be a great best friend, and not to mention, whatever attraction I had to him wouldn't be able to surface, so I wouldn't have to bother about my feelings bothering him or getting in the way!</p><p>Now as I look back, I realise how much of a moron I was, but it seemed like a justifiable proposition at the time. Granted, I should also have seen the way Yuuichi was desperately looking for a wall to hit his own head against, instead of getting caught up with my "flawless" logic at the time.</p><p>"Er...YAY you figured it out!" Yuuichi looked as if someone had punched him in the gut yet again, but shook his head with a grin. "That means you have to stay beside me most of the time right? And also listen to me if I give you advice."</p><p>"Yes ma'am," I let out a stifled laugh.</p><p>"Good girl," he grinned as well, then did something that rendered me speechless and motionless before falling sound asleep on my shoulder.</p><p>My eyes grew wide as I recovered from the shock, and almost pinched myself to check if I had succumbed to sleep as well. We might have just become best friends, but I couldn't comprehend how he could sink into such a deep slumber after casually placing a gentle kiss on my cheek.</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I awoke the next morning in a bed that wasn't mine. This caused me to sit up rather abruptly, and the smell of freshly made pancakes and maple syrup greeted me in an instant. I almost let it distract me from the current predicament I was in, but I had to get to the bottom of this. I tried to recall the night before, and how I had ended up here. Was that bacon sizzling? Wow. Whatever it is, it smells so good... Glancing around, I spotted a familiar black guitar case resting against a cream coloured wall. And then it hit me.</p><p>I was in Yuuichi's bed, tangled in his sheets.</p><p>For a while this thought was rather disturbing, because though I remembered falling asleep on Yuuichi's couch, I didn't recall consciously climbing into his bed. (Which, for the record, felt really comfortable.) I blushed slightly as the thought of the couch reminded me of the chaste kiss Yuuichi had blatantly given me on my cheek. It led me to wonder whether this was going to become regular behaviour of his, or if it was just due to his drunken stupor. Swinging my legs to the other side of the bed, I scratched my head a little and heaved myself off the comfy mattress. Following my nose out into the hallway and to the kitchen, I was greeted by Yuuichi, wearing a bright blue apron and expertly handling a skillet.</p><p>"Morning Etsu, I figured you haven't had much American cuisine since you stepped onto Japanese shores, so this is the least I could do," he gave me a warm smile before turning his attention back to the stove.</p><p>My gaze trailed from the pancakes and fresh strawberries, then to the sunny-side-ups and sausages, right before I spotted a good number of ham and cheese sandwiches. Was he trying to feed an army? Oh right, it was me he was cooking for.</p><p>"Yuuichi, how?"</p><p>"It's already eleven. I took the chance you wouldn't be up anytime soon and headed to the supermarket nearby."</p><p>I noticed he had thrown on a comfortable pair of frayed jeans and a simple cotton t-shirt, and was much more energetic than he was the night before. Or, for further clarification, the part of the night where he had spilled his heart out, after being a loose giraffe on crack. His un-combed, untamed hair stuck out in strategic places with the sole intention of humiliating him, and I winced at the thought that Japan's newest talent had gone out to the hypermart without bothering to lift the tragic curse of bed head.</p><p>"Your hair looks like a patch of grass that the gardener forgot all about. I can't believe you went out in public with that," I gently reproached him.</p><p>"Speak for yourself. Have you looked in the mirror recently?" He replied, deadpanned.</p><p>"Of course I did. It tells me that I'm the fairest in the land!"</p><p>"You ought to sue the manufacturers for giving you faulty merchandise," Yuuichi took one look at the sparkles in my eyes and scoffed.</p><p>"Well, for a guy who can't comb his own hair, I'm impressed you can cook," I laughed, completely meaning to compliment him for knowing his way around the kitchen.</p><p>"Surprising eh?" Yuuichi's eyes twinkled as he grinned at me. "I bet I'm a better chef than you are as well. How do you think I survived by myself all those years?"</p><p>I was about to grab a sandwich when my hand was briskly swiped away by a black-haired boy with a devious smirk.</p><p>"Go wash up first, you ugly duckling."</p><p>...</p><p>"You were dead beat when I carried you to the bed at around 4. Yes, I took the couch so I didn't invade your privacy," Yuuichi stood and began to clear the empty dishes which I had practically polished within the past half-hour.</p><p>"Thanks. And your bed's a lot more comfortable than mine, by the way."</p><p>"Oh?" Yuuichi seemed rather amused, "would you rather share it with me?"</p><p>I threw him a withering look and proceeded to stack the greasy plates that had once held some of the best grilled sausages I had ever eaten. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that the same boy who had a voice that could make angels tear had cooking skills that would put Jamie Oliver to shame. Perfect guys like that just didn't exist. Then I was reminded that Yuuichi was far from perfect, and that he had been bravely facing his demons as well.</p><p>Watching silently as he threw me a knowing smirk, he began to run the water and lathered the porcelain in the sink with a clean minty soap sponge. I decided there and then that real men do the dishes. Joining him at the sink, I placed the dirty plates into the basin, as he acknowledged it by looking at me with his crystal clear, sky blue eyes. Without breaking the contact, he suddenly stopped scrubbing the plate he had in his wide palms and inched his face so much closer to mine.</p><p>My once resolute mental barrier to bar myself from feeling any attraction immediately came crashing down like a Border's stock market share. All that I could think of was his warmth, the faint but crisp scent of mint on him, and how mesmerizingly close his electric blue eyes were. His eyes reminded me of cool, refreshing depths that cleansed my soul, or even of freedom in the never ending sky above. I wanted to explore the never-ending sea of emotions that his irises reflected. He seemed to be staring straight at me, biting his lip ever so slightly, and the blood rushed to my face as I squeezed my eyes shut. I wasn't sure what would come next, and what scared me was that I wasn't sure what I WANTED to come next.</p><p>I shouldn't have worried though, because Yuuichi's next move was to smother my nose with soap suds.</p><p>My eyelids flew open to see a hysterical Yuuichi bending over the kitchen counter in peals of laughter, his same blue eyes reflecting a kiddie pool of mischievousness and immaturity.</p><p>"AHHAHA- ET-HAHA-SU, if you could see your face now!"</p><p>I stood flabbergasted for a moment. What was this ailment that had been plaguing me for so long? If we were best friends these playful banters and bouts of teasing would be common, and I would expect them to come. What had I been expecting back there and then? Whenever I was in close proximity of Yuuichi, I never really could concentrate on anything else. His eyes, it must have been his eyes, the depth, the clarity and honesty they reflected whenever I looked into them.</p><p>I realised there and then that I had the most beautiful best friend in the universe.</p><p>Who was not going to get away with getting my face soapy.</p><p>Smirking right back at him, my left hand groped around the bottom of the sink for the soapy sponge. Yuuichi's eyes widened with realisation and horror. It reminded me vaguely of those demented plastic clowns at the mobile carnivals which had their mouths carved out so you could throw bacteria-infested plastic balls at them in hopes of winning a soft toy.</p><p>"No, Etsu, NO, I'm sorry; SORRY! ETSU! NO-"</p><p>If I really were at a carnival, they wouldn't have found a prize large enough to acknowledge my expertise at getting back at Yuuichi for his earlier bout of insolence.</p><p>…</p><p>"Damn, Etsuko, we got stains on my couch," Yuuichi muttered, referring to our recent water fight rather suggestively, "you were way too eager."</p><p>"Well, dearest, it's your fault for not using any protection," I shot back in annoyance.</p><p>Yuuichi laughed aloud and crossed his overgrown legs on his sofa, before hugging a cushion to his chest and watching the music video we had filmed the week before for the thousandth time. The Soap Incident earlier had progressed into full fledged war as I had chased him around his apartment with a soapy sponge, after which he led me to his bathroom and poured a bucket of water on me, then made a beeline for the roof. When I finally reached the top of the stairwell, he had the fire hose aimed right at me, drenching me in the liquid. Being winter, I had been utterly stunned at the freezing cold assault, before recovering and tackling Yuuichi to the ground, making sure he got soaked as well. We had spent a good hour on the rooftop, and I didn't regret a single minute of it.</p><p>After showering in my own apartment, I had taken the liberty to bring my laptop to his apartment to finally discuss which scenes should be kept in the remake of Yuuichi's music video, and which scenes should be flung out like last week's meatloaf. As I watched him gingerly sip his hot beverage, I shivered slightly and wrapped my hands around my mug a little tighter. My shower had mysteriously run out of hot water earlier, and I had been reduced to washing out the cold hose water with more cold water. It wasn't very effective, but at least I knew I was relatively clean.</p><p>"Oh, Etsu, I received a text from LME. I'm going in tomorrow to do a studio recording of the song," he smiled brightly at me, "will you come and give me moral support?"</p><p>Nodding, I beamed back at him before pouring steaming hot chocolate into two separate mugs. I still couldn't get over the shock that the President had hired both of us to be in showbiz, and was utterly ecstatic for Yuuichi. I wasn't sure if it was such a blessing to me, but I decided that I would cherish the chance that I had been given, and enjoy myself in the process. After all, not everyone gets to boast about seeing a close friend scale the ladder of musical stardom one rung at a time.</p><p>The past four hours had been spent editing and jotting down more notes before brainstorming further, and we had made significant progress. Given that the President had set the deadline for the storyboard as Friday (today was Wednesday), I was certain that we would finish in time.</p><p>"Okay, we'll cut this out," Yuuichi pointed to the scene where he had walked aimlessly out on the streets at night and pouted uncharacteristically, "my hair looks retarded."</p><p>"You might want to find a better reason."</p><p>"It's too dreary, and it makes the viewer lose attention fast," he explained seriously.</p><p>"True, but we need to show your detachment and preoccupation with your dilemma though," I furrowed my eyebrows in thought, "how about a few flashback scenes?"</p><p>I explained to him how we could film him walking down a street alone, seeing a perfect, complete family, and then contrast it with a child version of Yuuichi brimming with jealousy as he watched a separate family doing the exact same thing, bringing about the sense of continuation and inability to let go of his lacking past. Yuuichi nodded his head as he listened attentively, and then turned back to the screen to offer a few more suggestions on how the camera should pan out into a continuous shot during that, and also during the electric solo, the intensity of the camera movements or snippets should be shown at a much accelerated rate.</p><p>It was around this instant that I started sneezing. Accepting the box of tissues that he handed me, I sniffled that I was okay, and urged him to continue. After another fifteen minutes or so though, I couldn't concentrate well, and the irrational part of my mind concluded that I was just tired, whilst the realistic part sighed and told me I had probably caught a cold.</p><p>"Etsu, you okay?" Yuuichi asked worriedly, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.</p><p>"Yeah, I think I'm just tired from editing," I sighed and rubbed my neck, feeling chilly all of a sudden, and covered my legs with a cushion.</p><p>"You're the same girl who enthusiastically burned the midnight oil for three consecutive nights when you filmed last week. Are you sure you're just tired?" Yuuichi eyed me suspiciously, and I immediately noticed his wide hand looming closer to my forehead.</p><p>"I think I'll just sleep early," I mumbled and heaved myself off the couch.</p><p>I knew that it would be impossible to fool Yuuichi, but I remembered that he still had his studio recording to go for the next morning. If he just thought that I was tired, he'd leave me alone and would be able to concentrate on the recording tomorrow without worrying about his sick director. If he had bothered to cook breakfast for me this morning even though he was the one that was allegedly the one that should have suffered from a serious hangover, then I wouldn't want to know what he might do if I was really the one who was sick.</p><p>The world swirled a little around me, and suddenly there seemed to be two, no, three laptops on the coffee table. Before I could speculate on whether the world had transformed into a giant hall of mirrors, I realised I couldn't feel my legs, and a piercing chill had overcome my senses. Stumbling toward Yuuichi's front door, everything suddenly turned an awful shade of black.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"BRRRRR-ING!"</p><p>I jolted awake, slightly disoriented after hearing a loud, jarring noise in my ear. Looking around, I realised that I was back in my own apartment, and that bright daylight was streaming into my spacious bedroom. My laptop sat obediently on my desk, and I swore that everything looked a tad neater than it previously did. Piecing together the events of the night before, however, proved to be difficult with an electronic device at my bedside table screeching for attention like a spoilt, impatient brat, leading me to pick up the phone rather groggily.</p><p>"Miss Hizuri? Mr and Mrs Hizuri are here to visit you."</p><p>Huh? Weren't they on that Christmas tour around Japan? It was three days before Christmas! Were they trying to get themselves fired?</p><p>"They have already taken a copied key-card for the lock. This call is just to inform you that they will be letting themselves in."</p><p>Maybe early retirement was beginning to appeal to them.</p><p>"Oh," I vaguely registered the murmur of my own voice.</p><p>"Have a good day Miss."</p><p>The line went dead, and at that exact same moment, I heard the front door click open.</p><p>…</p><p>I tried to feign sleep as I listened to the sound of Okasan bustling about in the kitchen, setting the stove and chopping vegetables with the enthusiasm of a five-year-old at the zoo. Otousan was attempting to creep into my room, but his lanky frame cast a great shadow over my bed, giving him away completely just as he entered. I knew he was about to give me one of his giant bear hugs to scare me awake, and my throbbing head wasn't prepared for one of them.</p><p>"Otousan…I'm not that ten year old girl that you can trick into getting out of –"</p><p>I opened my eyes groggily, only to have them assaulted by the serene face of my father exuding way too many pheromones than should be legal for his age. My dark irises stared right back into his, blinking wide with shock.</p><p>"Ah my princess, so beautiful even when frustrated," Otousan smiled angelically and stroked my blonde hair.</p><p>"First, I'm not Okasan. I don't fall for the princess and fairy crap," my eyes narrowed. "Secondly, what the hell are you guys doing here? Are you trying to get fired by Lory?"</p><p>Otousan's face suddenly morphed into one of a sullen puppy, and I could see traces of teardrops forming in his eyes.</p><p>"You don't want me here? Is that it Etsu? All grown up now that you can't be bothered with your dear Otousan anymore?"</p><p>"Stop whimpering, you old sap," I sighed, and then let out a laugh, "of course I'm glad to see you!"</p><p>Throwing my arms around Otousan, I laughed as he attempted to tickle me, and then pulled me out to the kitchen to greet Okasan. She was as bubbly as a bubble could possibly be, and grinned widely as she caught sight of my messy frame. Abandoning the enormous pot of miso soup on the stove for a while, she hugged me tightly, and proceeded to chatter about how they had all missed me so much during their tour they just had to sneak away to visit. They would have a Christmas party later that night to attend, with Kaitou and Kichirou currently entertaining the press in Yokohama, one of the major cities of Japan that was closer to Tokyo. But for now, I would be able to enjoy a few hours in the company of my loving parents. Smiling to myself, watching Otousan mock Okasan for cutting instead of carving a radish, I couldn't help but feel that there was something important that I was forgetting.</p><p>Something that involved a studio recording of the most angelic voice I had ever heard.</p><p>…</p><p>"Kyoko, you don't normally make chicken soup, but it was really good today," Otousan smiled brightly as we cleared up the dishes after our meal.</p><p>"Chicken soup?" Okasan looked puzzled, her large honey eyes looking inquisitively at her husband. "I didn't cook any chicken soup! I thought you heated it up!"</p><p>As dense as Okasan was, we couldn't fault her for not having noticed the inconspicuous white porcelain bowl that lay neatly at the centre of the mountain of dishes she had prepared. Whenever Okasan cooked for me, tables would groan under all the excess weight of the dishes she prepared. Once, I remembered she had attempted to recreate some obscure dish of frog's legs, having a rather demented look on her face at the time, just as Otousan ominously cackled away. Times like those remind me of why I never fully want to understand the memories my parents have shared.</p><p>As Otousan lifted the bowl off the table, a small post-it was revealed beneath.</p><p>"Etsuko. Take care of yourself; keep warm; I'll see you after the recording. Ja-ne, Yuuichi."</p><p>My eyes widened at the thought that Yuuichi had prepared something for me. What exactly happened yesterday? I was out cold wasn't I? And how exactly did Yuuichi enter my apartment anyway? However, these questions would have to wait, as Okasan and I trembled under the sheer force of a sinister aura that permeated the room. Okasan's demons fed off the darkness within the light. Not daring to look at the brilliance that threatened to blind my eyes, I heard Otousan's syrupy sweet, gentleman's voice, the one he had always used to feign knowledge or conceal his anger.</p><p>"Etsu-chan, who is this…Yuuichi?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I twiddled my thumbs nervously as I sat on my supposedly comfortable bed which gave me absolutely no comfort at all. My hands were cold as ice and my confused mind mirrored the state my thumbs were in, going about in circles whilst going nowhere. As I thought up a plausible lawsuit for the makers of the unsatisfactory mattress, my golden-eyed, slightly flustered Okasan bolted into the safety of my room and slammed the door shut, locking out Otousan's irate raving at the highest of decibels known to human ears.</p><p>"Okasan," I began worriedly, "what's wrong with Otousan? Is he okay?"</p><p>"He's fine, ignore him for now," Okasan shot a withering look at the door, meaning it for my ranting father outside. "I'm more interested in you. Tell me more about Yuuichi."</p><p>Okasan walked beside me while brushing her sleek raven hair back, light almost irradiating from its sheen, and then sat down beside me. My plans for suing the mattress company completely vanished as she wrapped her motherly arms around my shaking frame, soothing any raw nerves that I felt. Who needed comfy beds anyway? I placed my head on her shoulder and stared out the window, watching the clear blue sky which suddenly reminded me of Yuuichi's crystal eyes that reflected the same calming azure.</p><p>I proceeded to tell Okasan about Yuuichi, everything pertaining to school, and him being a neighbour. Praying silently that she wouldn't inquire further, I discretely skipped the parts about him filming the music video, and about me visiting LME because of him. All the while there was a knowing glint in her bright-eyed gaze, which till this day I still cannot figure out if she knew the truth in that moment.</p><p>"I just don't understand why Otousan's so angry," I gave Okasan a forlorn gaze, "is it that wrong for me to have a best friend?"</p><p>"No, it isn't," Okasan shook her head with a wan smile that held a hint of reproach, "I just need to know one last thing. How do you feel when you're around Yuuichi?"</p><p>This was a question I hadn't been expecting. My last remark had been a rather evasive, last-ditch attempt to get some sympathy from Okasan. Being a first-rate actress, she had immediately seen through my bluff, and thrown me off-guard with a black-belt-worthy statement of her own. However, the tone in her voice assured me that whatever I was keeping from her could stay hidden; she respected my privacy as her daughter. I decided to give her the truth, as she had given me her credence.</p><p>"Safe," I answered almost immediately, "I trust him."</p><p>Okasan smiled warmly.</p><p>"Then so do I."</p><p>…</p><p>"Don't forget to drink your barley water Etsu!" Okasan hugged me before she lifted her slim yet fashionable tote bag onto her shoulders, her grin giving a much needed lift to my spirits, "take care of yourself."</p><p>"Hmph," my father let out a vexed grunt, "she's all grown up now, I'm sure she'll have no problem taking care of herself."</p><p>"Oh Otousan," I laughed and shook my head at his badly concealed jealousy and worry, which had already manifested into sarcasm over the past half hour. "I love you more than anyone else in the whole world."</p><p>"Don't lie." The sullen puppy was back.</p><p>"Am not," I stretched out my arms and Otousan pulled me into a hug comparable to those given by bears which fed off affection and warm embraces.</p><p>"Kuon, let go. She's not going to run away." Okasan reprimanded him, and then yanked the back of his collar.</p><p>"But she's growing up so fast…she's still my little girl – OW!" Otousan's whining was abruptly cut off, as Okasan dragged him by the nape all the way to the elevator.</p><p>I watched, highly bemused at the sight of an oversized, whimpering puppy being tugged around by its owner until both reluctantly entered the lift. A huge sigh left my lips as the elevator doors closed behind my long-legged parents, who were making their way back to LME to prepare themselves for the Christmas party that they had to attend later that night. Although my fever had broken, and my legs resumed their normal state of mobility, my mind had once again been thrown into a frenzy as I recounted the morning's happenings.</p><p>Otousan had calmed down significantly after Okasan had reasoned, or rather, threatened him into acceptance with her grudge Kyokos'. The apartment had been full with an eerie chill that even my blanket could not ward off. From within the confines of my room, I heard Okasan menacingly hiss accusations such as: "…you <em>unleashed</em> your Emperor of the Night smile on me when I was 16 too…"; "…you <em>harassed</em> me on your kitchen floor during dark moon…"; "…you <em>forced</em> me to sleep on the same bed as you and I became a piece of <em>driftwood</em>…"; and so on and so forth. Sometimes it was situations like these that made me wonder what in the world had to occur between my parents for them to finally get together. All I knew is that when I gingerly opened my bedroom door to check on my poor mentally assaulted Otousan, he had a doubly pained expression on his face.</p><p>I knew that my parents, and especially Otousan, would be extremely protective of me. In situations like these, Okasan was the voice of rationality, ringing clear and true. Yet even through all the chimes of clarity I knew my parents weren't blind. They would know if their only daughter had started to like someone of the opposite gender. They would know if I had matured and grown regarding my emotions. But what they wouldn't know was that Yuuichi wasn't someone I could love. All my feelings towards him were just plain attraction, and right now the worst thing that could happen that would jeopardise his career was to be romantically linked with someone else of absolutely no status at all. In that respect, they shouldn't be protecting me from Yuuichi; they should be protecting Yuuichi from me instead.</p><p>I let out another sigh and walked into my room. Reaching into the cabinet near my bed, I pulled out my most treasured shoebox and grabbed a letter from the middle of the yellowed stack.</p><p>At a glance, I realised that it was a reply I had gotten from Jigglypuff when I told him about the time I visited my family in Tokyo during a summer break. I was ten, young, and immensely rash; I had stowed away in the family SUV as it made its way to LME. Kaitou found me crouched in the backseat, and Kichirou still remembers my stance then as having peculiarly reminded him of a cowering ostrich. Rather than scolding me or taking me home, Okasan had brought me to an old wing of LME, to the backstage of an unused studio. I remembered watching her closely as she rummaged through the old costumes that had been neatly packed into a cardboard box in the corner, when her demon-killing cutie honey smile suddenly flashed bright, in sharp contrast to the dreary room.</p><p>"<em>Etsu-chan, Okasan used to wear this!"</em></p><p>The memories were vague, but I could never forget the monstrosity of the chicken costume that Okasan shoved into my peripheral vision. My eyes still burn at the memory.</p><p>"<em>Etsu, (close your mouth; the costume's not THAT bad) back then your Otousan and I weren't together yet, but we spent a lot of time in this studio just talking," Okasan smiled sweetly, "the first time your cold-hearted Otousan called me a friend was in this storage room."</em></p><p>Okasan had left me there for the day, while Otousan and Yashiro-san brought me a packed lunch in the afternoon.</p><p>"<em>Etsu, I don't blame you for wanting to follow us. We just don't want anything to happen to you," Otousan began gently, his eyes widening at the lounging chicken suit which I had no longing to understand, "wow. Where'd you find that? He used to be my good friend."</em></p><p>Ever since then, I have been proud to say that I have stopped trying to understand my parents.</p><p>Regardless, that day wasn't a completely bad one, as Otousan and Okasan routinely stopped by to make sure I was fine. However, it was a stark reminder of how I lived in the shadows, the backstage of the podium that the rest of my family were exalted on. It was cold and dusty, where the only traces of warmth I received were from the occasional recognitions and displays of affection that my parents gave. It was at that dismal backstage too, that I had penned a tear-stained letter to Jigglypuff, telling him that I was at the old LME wing, and that I was starting to regret trying to get close to my family. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and then proceeded to read the letter.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Pikachu,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Please don't be sad! Sometimes being backstage is the best place to be. Think about it; you don't just get to see the show; you get to see who your parents really are behind all their acting. Isn't it better to know they love you, than be recognised as their daughter in front of everyone else? That would be meaningless, and would hurt even more.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Above all, you'll never truly be alone; always know that I'm here.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Your best friend,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jigglypuff</em>
</p><p>After keeping the letter back into the shoebox, I placed it safely in my cabinet and left my bedroom for the kitchen, consuming the flu medicine my mother had purchased from the pharmacy nearby. I wasn't sure what it was about Jigglypuff's letters that always left me feeling comforted, but I was sure that it worked better than the silk sheets and double-coiled mattress that promised a rest of a lifetime. I didn't have much of a choice though, and crawled groggily back into the self-endorsed bed.</p><p>At the same time, a stray thought wormed its way into my head. How could I have two best friends? I already had Jigglypuff, so how could I let Yuuichi take his place? That would be far from right. However, as the medicine began to take effect, the memories of chicken soups and chicken costumes swirled in my mind like an endless boiling broth of toil and trouble, and I fell back into a dark and dreamless sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I tossed and turned as the haze of sleep dissipated, and after a torturous five minute battle with my sheets, I glanced at the clock. It was already six in the evening, and my growling stomach demanded food. My parents had left for the early Christmas party at 1pm, and I said a silent prayer that Lory and his tinsel town concoctions would leave my parents and brothers in one piece. Carelessly tossing off the duvet that was covering me, I decided that it was high time I took a bath.</p><p>Even though my body ached and moved rather adamantly as I took a towel out of the cupboard, my mind was fresher than it had been earlier, and I recounted on the past day's events. I must have fainted at Yuuichi's apartment after falling sick, and he must have brought me back to my own apartment where I awoke this morning. <em>He must have used my key card too, </em>I mused, and then stopped in my tracks. If he managed to place the chicken soup on my dining table before my parents came, then he must have used my key card this morning as well.</p><p>Curious, I paced around my apartment in search of my card, but it was nowhere to be found. My beige coloured sofa sat inconspicuously facing the doorway, feigning ignorance. Even the clear glass surface of my dining table seemed to mock me, its sheen tantamount to a mischievous brat that was sticking out a non-existent tongue in the face of my exasperation. Giving up, I decided to look for it after I had a much needed shower.</p><p>After undressing in my bedroom, I languidly wrapped the fluffy towel around me, under my arms and tucking the stray end into the soft material. Making my way to the bathroom, I should have seen the lights that were on inside; or at least noticed that the screen door I normally left open had been slid shut. I should have, but I didn't.</p><p>Which was the reason I found my key card resting slyly on the cistern, along with a very embarrassed, red-faced Yuuichi who had decided to relieve himself at the most importune moment.</p><p>…</p><p>"YOU RETARD! COULDN'T YOU HAVE LOCKED THE DOOR?" I screamed at him from my bedroom, not even sure why I was hiding there in the first place.</p><p>"COULDN'T YOU SEE THAT SOMEONE WAS INSIDE?" Yuuichi yelled back as a few loud <em>'thunks'</em> came from the bathroom, which I translated into his probable current priority to get his jeans back on.</p><p>"This is MY APARTMENT! Why would I think someone else would be in MY BATHROOM?"</p><p>The door to my bathroom slid open as Yuuichi, cheeks still tinted red, emerged rather sheepishly with a slight, wounded pout at having been defeated in our recent war of words. I squeaked and hid behind my doorframe, already feeling my face colouring again. It felt as if scores of unearthly beings had decided to use my face as a colouring book for their younglings, and with their supernatural crayons, they shaded my face a whole new palette of red. Inwardly cursing the artistically-challenged fairies, I made a beeline for the bathroom, just as he threw one final glance at me before heading for my couch. There was something about that glance that made me blush even harder than before, and my immediate reaction was to flee to the safety of the bathroom. Slamming the door shut, I turned the metal lock on its side with more than thrice the force needed, just to emphasize his previous oversight.</p><p>As I turned the shower on, something about that last look in his eyes perturbed me. It felt as if the clear detached sky blue that had always calmed my soul was now facing its own inner turmoil, like someone had struck his irises with a lightning bolt and unleashed a force unspeakable, even more than the force that I had used to lock my despicable bathroom door with. Worse of all, it reminded me of something that I did not even want to consider as possible.</p><p>Scrubbing my hair in a desperate bid to wash that thought out of my mind once and for all, the soothing peach fragrance of my shampoo helped calm my frazzled nerves slightly, and I forgot about the conclusion my brain had come to a few seconds earlier.</p><p>
  <em>Isn't that the way Otousan looks at Okasan?</em>
</p><p>…</p><p>"I didn't know a pervert like you could feel embarrassed," I glared at Yuuichi while loading dish after dish onto my dining table which was now crying for mercy after it had caused me so much frustration earlier.</p><p>"So now you want to see more of *that* and *that* and…" Yuuichi's voice trailed off as it was his turn to mock me, smirking as his chopsticks reached for another piece of meat.</p><p>His gaze once again reflected the nonchalant musician that I had become familiar with, and nothing was left of the intimidating creature I saw in his eyes earlier. I let out a hypothetical sigh of relief at this welcome reversion. Cooking dinner for the both of us was my way of avoiding his uncomfortable stare, which was a reasonable distraction.</p><p>"So tell me, how did your recording go?" Glaring daggers into Yuuichi, I let my version of a Mio-Natsu-Setsuka combo surround him, daring him to even squeak any further about his perverted train of thought.</p><p>Yuuichi seemed to surrender to my demons and began to describe to me how the music producers rushed him from the recording studios to various coaches; from voice trainers to professional songwriters; so they could get a better feel of who he was and how his music sounded like. I listened, intrigued at how Yuuichi's expressions showed his ever-increasing excitement, which was surprisingly more contagious than the waning flu I had. Apparently Lory had managed to whisk him in and out of each appointment personally in his Aladdin-themed magic carpet, to which Yuuichi had protested slightly before being threatened into being turned into a monkey. Whilst retelling this part, I laughed as Yuuichi shuddered and hissed that he didn't think the President was kidding. His grin returned, however, when he reached the part that involved meeting an acclaimed artiste who had been in the same recording studio and had praised him for his talents.</p><p>I nodded in approval at appropriate moments, letting Yuuichi continue as my thoughts went back to my family and the letter I had written to Jigglypuff. At this rate, it would be no surprise that Yuuichi would be getting his fair share of attention from the media within the impulse to shut and open an eyelid; you wouldn't even have time to blink. It was supposed to be good news for him; for us even; as I had helped in his journey. Yet why was there a dull ache in my chest? <em>Would I be left backstage again?</em></p><p>Yuuichi seemed to notice that I was relatively quiet. Putting his relation of the day's events on hold, he leaned in slightly and lowered his voice.</p><p>"Etsu, are you okay? Still sick?"</p><p>"I'm fine," my voice came out terser than I had expected it to, and I silently chided myself.</p><p>"You're obviously not," Yuuichi got up from his chair and tugged at my sleeve with a slight grin. "Come on, we've had enough to eat. I've got something to show you."</p><p>"Where are we going?"</p><p>The only response I received was the world's warmest smile.</p><p>I followed him wordlessly as he grabbed his guitar case with one large hand and then my palm with his other, leading me to the rooftop where all our ideas and experiences had collided. The night sky twinkled soothingly as Yuuichi gently released his grip on my hand, as I glided lightly to my favourite tile, leaning back against it and marvelling at the breathtaking view that never grew dull. Although it was chilly, Yuuichi's form right next to mine gave me all the warmth I could ever need, and I wasn't sure why my pulse started racing once again. Attributing it back to the hormones, my musings were distracted by Yuuichi's tender, angelic voice.</p><p>"Etsuko."</p><p>I couldn't help but look at him. He sounded pleading, almost desperate.</p><p>"You didn't have a choice when you were born into a family of A-grade actors. It isn't your fault that you aren't part of that world with them, neither do I have any right to comment whether you should be or not."</p><p>Where was he going with this? I couldn't bear to listen anymore, and my face and mind started to contort with a cocktail of sadness, worry and rejection. Yuuichi suddenly lifted his hand to my face.</p><p>"Etsu, please don't cry," Yuuichi whispered, "all I'm saying is that with them you didn't have a choice, but with me you do. I'm your friend, Etsu, and I care about you. If joining showbiz means that I lose the one person who understood me, helped me defeat my demons and believed in me, then no fires of hell would even be able to drag me to a broken karaoke microphone."</p><p>I giggled at his reference and shook my head in awe. What <em>was</em> this idiot saying? It did strike me at the very core of my beliefs that I wasn't good enough to join my family in showbiz, and I wondered how he managed to figure that out so accurately. I summoned up my strength and sniffled slightly, turning to Yuuichi with a wan smile.</p><p>"First of all, I'm not crying," I defended myself lamely. "Second of all, I don't want to be someone who believed in your dreams, only to become the person who stands in the way of them."</p><p>Yuuichi stared at me dubiously, the normal glint in his eyes returning. I could almost hear the unspoken, sceptical <em>"Are you sure?" </em>that lingered in the atmosphere.</p><p>"Thirdly," I continued, determination swelling in my voice, "as MY friend you should be helping me fight my demons too, not feed my selfishness!"</p><p>His azure eyes widened as I finished my declaration, as if my statement had made a drastic impact on his soul. Yuuichi beamed at me, and I nearly held my breath as I realised I had done near nothing to be the fortunate recipient of such a dazzling grin. The gentleness in his eyes blended with his heartfelt sincerity, and my own heart threatened to melt under his soft, admiring gaze. Yuuichi had never looked at me that way before, although I saw hints of it that time he thanked me for near forcing him to recount his unspeakable past, then coming to check on him after he was done. But, oh boy, was that smile anything compared to this one!</p><p>"And that's exactly why I need you around," Yuuichi continued beaming, and then reached for his guitar case.</p><p>"Please don't tell me you're going to play some sappy song," I grumbled, "the way you're looking at me is already freaking me out."</p><p>"Quit spoiling the moment Etsu," Yuuichi flicked my head as he dug into the front pocket of the case.</p><p>I rubbed the sore spot as I inwardly cursed the overgrown freak of nature that had recently stopped my normal behaviour of launching into a first-class self-doubt session. <em>His methods were completely underhanded and unforgivable and –</em></p><p>"I got this for you on my way back," he grinned cheekily. "It reminded me of you."</p><p>Within the velvet confines of the box that he had placed in my hands was the most beautiful present I had ever received. The chain gleamed silver, and felt cool to my touch. I traced down to the charm at the end of the chain, and could barely contain my delight as my eyes lit up with glee. It was a stunning deep red with a slight shimmer at the top of the charm, and the lower half was a pure milky white, separated with a precise band of black. Yuuichi had gotten me a necklace with the most charming pokeball charm!</p><p>"Now's the point where you fall into my arms and love me forever," Yuuichi hinted, laughing bemusedly at my wide-eyed response.</p><p>"Who'd want to love you?" I playfully shoved him whilst still staring in awe at the charm. "I'd rather fall in love with this amazing necklace!"</p><p>"Plenty of girls will be head-over-heels for me soon!" Yuuichi stated, "I'm such a good catch too. I can play the guitar, sing, and even cook!"</p><p>"Of course! You're such a fantastic chef, even my dad likes your chicken soup."</p><p>I turned just in time to see the blood drain out of Yuuichi's face.</p><p>"Please don't tell me…"</p><p>"Quit spoiling the moment, Yuuichi."</p><p>Yuuichi shook his head in mock despair, and was still pouting when I glanced at him ten minutes later after gazing my fill at the detailed, shimmering pokeball. I stifled a laugh as I leaned against Yuuichi and stared up at the stars which were shimmering just as bright as the pokeball in my hands.</p><p>"Thank you," I whispered.</p><p>"You're welcome."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Jelly-san, come on, you know I'm not supposed to stand out!" I shrieked a little as I regarded the unrecognisable figure in the mirror, dressed in a stunning emerald gown that nearly trailed the floor.</p><p>"Oh come on Etsu, I rarely get a chance to work my magic on someone who has near perfect bone structures and features. I couldn't resist!" President Lory's most cherished make-up artist huffed at me, who for the past hour had been the most uncooperative charge she had ever taken.</p><p>Again, you must be wondering why I was trading my comfortable jeans and cargo pants to don this extra formal, rib-crushingly-tight-at-the-waist-so-as-to-push-up -my-non-existent-assets evening wear. Let me backtrack to a few days earlier, when Yuuichi finished the recording of his song. I was back in fighting fit within the week, and with the energy burst of a caffeinated cheetah, finished filming by mid-December. Yuuichi's completed music video was aired 48 short hours later, and gained so much traction online as well as the goggle box, such that Yuuichi had already been called back to the studios for two interviews, with more press coverage hankering for a simple minute with him. However, I had completely forgotten that at the end of each year, President Lory and Maria would throw the most extravagant Happy Grateful party, and that LME employees were expected to show up.</p><p>Let me reemphasize that, ALL employees were expected to show up.</p><p>So, to sum it up, I would be going for the extravaganza as the smooth, cool Emily Hart, producer and director of that newbie video that everyone would be dying to meet. With my entire family as honoured, long-time guests, Okasan being born on Christmas Day and all.</p><p>Way to stay out of the limelight.</p><p>"Etsu, don't look so sullen," Jelly sighed as she fixed my red wig in place. "I'll have you know that my darling changed the theme of the party just for you, even though it was such a rush. Here, put this on."</p><p>"He didn't have to change it for me," I relented and my voice dropped a few tones, my fears of inadequacy seeping through again, as I wore the silver shimmer mask. "Why a masquerade anyway? Isn't that too common for an extravagant man such as the President?"</p><p>"Sometimes, the simpler, the better," Jelly smiled as I watched her reflection in the mirror, just before she finished her magic by stringing the pokeball charm around my neck that I had wanted to wear even to the party. "You look amazing, Etsu."</p><p>I nodded silently, hoping she wasn't able to hear the words that pounded in my heart – <em>I wish I were as amazing as I looked.</em></p><p>…</p><p>The moment I stepped into the five metre radius of the ballroom, I realised that there was nothing simple about the party. LME had booked out the whole hotel, with all its celebrities having their own personal rooms. The ballroom had been curtained with the most luxurious satin sheets, red velvet covers for chairs and polished marble that would have been stepped all over by the end of the night. Even I was scared to tread on it with my heels; it looked too shiny to step on. Was it even legal for floors to be this polished without being a safety hazard?</p><p>On top of that, every single person in the room looked like refined diamonds, precious gems unclouded and untainted by physical faults. Women with flawless locks and flowing gowns, men with tailored and well-fitting suits, each one wearing uniquely fashioned masks as dictated by the President. Some brought their own; others grabbed theirs at the door, where the President had ordered tons of masks to be on stand-by. Peacock feathers, dove plumes and the like – it felt like a pillow factory had exploded throughout the ballroom.</p><p>I lingered in the corner near the punch bowl, hoping that my red locks and green dress were an adequate cover for me to blend in without attracting more attention than necessary. Yuuichi was supposed to show up after I did, so that any attention he would garner at the start would be away from me, even though I would be sitting at the table with him during dinner. I stared down at the punch as if it were the most mind-blowing thing in the universe, comparable to watching ice melt or a snail trying to cross a five-lane highway. Scrap the punch, the snail would be more entertaining.</p><p>Just as my mind was engrossed in the thought of an innocent snail becoming road kill, losing his life and home in a single, unexpected blow from an oncoming tanker, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before turning around, making sure that the director's smile I had rehearsed as Emily would be able to last throughout the coming conversation at least. Armed with my broad grin, I whipped around to see a gold and black-masked Yuuichi, who had arrived much earlier than expected.</p><p>"Woah, watch out, you wouldn't want to kill anybody with your blazing red hair," Yuuichi laughed bemusedly.</p><p>"Aren't you supposed to be working the press, Mr Single-and-Ready-to-Mingle?" I glowered a bit at him, yet unable to mask my smile underneath the mask that only covered my forehead and cheekbones, leading me to wonder why I was wearing this ineffective piece of headgear anyway.</p><p>I blushed as he paused a while, his blue eyes misting over as he grinned softly at me, took my hand in his and gently twirled me around, making my dress flare at its seams ever so softly. Wondering at what he was looking at, I glanced back at him and became completely enraptured in his comforting gaze; it made me feel just like a princess at a ball. A deserving princess at that, as the world froze in time for us, his cool touch suddenly leaving my hand to tuck a stray lock behind my ears, leaving me shivering ever so slightly as the tip of his fingers lingered at the back of my ear.</p><p>"Why would I? I'm with the most beautiful woman in the entire room," my lanky counterpart mused with a grin, placing my slight hand securely in his warm, enveloping grasp and tugged me forward. "Follow me; you can't be a wallflower all night, not at this ball."</p><p>As he pulled me away from the lavish buffet spread and my new friend the punch bowl, I finally looked at Yuuichi. Not that I didn't look at him before, but this time, I saw that he too had the suit tailored perfectly to fit his broad shoulders, his hair combed neatly and perfectly even at the back. His hand was just as large as I remembered, and even as he pulled me forward, it was as gentle as it was strong. His inner shirt was tinted the same green as my dress, leading me to wonder if the President had sponsored his suit as well. I didn't know why yet again, but I wished that I wasn't watching him from behind, but rather looking at him squarely in his eyes, and getting lost in that vast sea of blue.</p><p>That thought was almost enough to stop me from thinking about the disaster waiting to happen if I met anyone that could remotely make the link between me and my highly acclaimed blood relations.</p><p>Almost.</p><p>"Stop," I nearly skidded to a halt. "Yuuichi, STOP."</p><p>"What's wrong? I'm only taking you to see other producers and directors who are interested in the music video," he looked at me worriedly. "If you're not comfortable with it, I won't force you. But I assure you, it'll be more fulfilling than talking to that bowl of punch."</p><p>"It's not that I'm uncomfortable," I shifted my eyes slightly and stared at a satin banner or two that hung from the high ceiling. "Maybe I'll see them one on one instead of in a group?"</p><p>I could see the creases forming around his beautiful blue eyes as he grinned, nodding in affirmation, telling me to wait there as he brought the next darling of the directing world who was interested in meeting me, a plain Jane amateur. As he walked into the distance, I watched the large projection screen, on which an endless reel of photographs of LME stars and highlights of the year were being run. In at least one of ten snapshots, I could see Okasan with her captivating golden eyes, Otousan with his kind smile, Kaitou and Kichirou growing more handsome by the day. It was surreal to have family immortalised like that, for who they were in the industry, and here I was, attending their ball as an imposter. My right hand went instinctively to my pokeball charm, hoping that no matter how plain I was, my abilities would still be able to shine through – to grow and evolve, as Jigglypuff might have put it.</p><p>Unknown to me, as I was contemplating evolution, the universe and beyond, I had just begun attracting the attention of the last person I needed attention from.</p><p>…</p><p>"I'm impressed with your work, Emily," Director Ogata's eyes shone brightly as his sincere grin shone through. "I stumbled across the video as it was playing in LME HQ, and I must say that for a first timer you have a knack for both framing and angling. Rarely do I see new directors make use of the basics to their advantage; they're always looking for new and improved methods before mastering the essentials."</p><p>It had been barely five minutes when the suave, tall-as-a-tuxedoed-giraffe Yuuichi brought a slight, porcelain-skinned, bespectacled man within a three-metre radius of myself and the punch bowl I had unconsciously wandered back to. Taking his leave, Yuuichi left me alone with yet another princess; the darling of all directors; the well-acclaimed Director Ogata whom all my family members always enthused about working with. Swiftly removing his tasteful mask and having introduced himself, I had done the same. After about another five minutes of light conversation about how strong the sun had been the past few days even though it was winter, the Director brought up the music video.</p><p>"Well," I replied tentatively, not wanting to say that all I knew about directing and camera movements was from all the dramas that I had been watching my family act in. "You flatter me; I used the basics because I don't know anything else, Director."</p><p>"Then this company needs more directors like you," Director Ogata enthused. "You've got an acute sense of timing; all you need to do is polish your skills. What has the President given you next in regards to projects?"</p><p>"Nothing yet, but that's probably because I'm completely new and inex-"</p><p>"NOTHING?! That President, he doesn't know what he's got!" Director Ogata's eyes widened into an expression somewhat between shock and horror, then flipped back to one of undauntable enthusiasm. "If Lory doesn't want to use the talent in his arsenal, then I will."</p><p>My heart leapt straight out of my chest to straddle the fence between fear and unbelief at the Director's next proposal.</p><p>"Would you like to be a producer for an upcoming mini-series of mine?"</p><p>…</p><p>I walked aimlessly around the ballroom as stars streamed in left right and centre, Director Ogata's name card square in my slightly clammy right palm, not sure what just happened. It was a huge opportunity, so huge that it formed a tangible lump in my throat, making me effectively mute for the whole 30 seconds that the senior Director stared at me for in wide-eyed expectancy. After I had nodded my head in apprehension, the Director became a whirlwind of ecstatic energy, telling me about his concept for the whole mini-series, how he was just putting his team together, and how I could contact him and by all means show up on the first day of storyboarding.</p><p>I didn't know what to make of the situation. Don't get me wrong, I was just as excited about the mini-series as the Director was, and even more pumped that I would be working with a legend. If the Director hadn't been so enthusiastic and offensively spontaneous about his offer, I would have immediately thought that President Lory had been pulling a baleful of strings to create such a great opportunity for someone as unknown as myself, in his quest to get back at the almighty Tsuruga Ren and angelic Mogami Kyoko for hiding their only daughter away in the shadows of oblivion beyond the President's scope of crazy influence. The way Director Ogata had been, however, told me that he was sincere about pulling me on his team because of my own abilities, not because of the blood ties I had. To me, that meant the world.</p><p>At the same time, it meant that I had to prove my worth. Did I have anything to prove? Could I really do it? Even my friend the punch bowl couldn't give me an objective answer. My emerald gown trailed the floor as my heels clicked rhythmically on the marble, and I watched the shimmer somewhat dazed and captivated. On hindsight, if I had at least been looking up, I would have been able to avoid the disaster that happened next.</p><p>"You must be one hell of a thief, because you stole my heart from across the room."</p><p>Stopping me in my tracks back to the punch bowl where I assumed Yuuichi was, the molten, sultry voice came from a figure that inched ominously close, completely hindering me from moving forward. As the adrenalin rush of fight or flight kicked in, I was all ready to kick the aggressor where it hurt most and make a dash for it, not wanting to be caught in a situation of having to seduce a pervert yet again. Why did Lory have a pervert working for him anyway?! Other than Yuuichi at times, I could think of no one else who would be so familiar with me, let alone a stranger.</p><p>As I lifted my head and racked my brain for a witty retort against the insolent star, all that I came face to face; or mask to mask with was undoubtedly LME's second-most desirable man.</p><p>More well-known as Tsuruga Kichirou.</p><p>And known only to me as Kichirou Onii-san.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Well, I'm not the only criminal here," I heard a sultry voice leave my own lips. "It probably is illegal to use the same pick up line thrice in a night."</p><p>"You've got spunk," Kichirou's mouth upturned at the corners, his eyes sparkling from the soft glow of the chandeliers above. "But it would be most inappropriate to make passes so crude to such a beautiful woman like you, especially on a romantic night like this."</p><p>I had to give it to my brother; he had a way with words that was incredibly smooth. Pity though, that he was wasting his time on me if his ultimate goal was to make me fall head over heels for him. His raven black tailored suit accentuated his muscular figure perfectly, from the soft sheen of the luxurious tailcoat to his pure white gloves, down to his tapered dress pants. I certainly hadn't been the only one who had dressed to kill.</p><p>"Yes, Tsuruga-san, I agree. It would be exceptionally inappropriate if you were looking to get laid on your mother's birthday and at the height of the festivities no less."</p><p>"Ouch, but yes, that is one way of putting it into perspective," a cheeky, genuine grin played on Kichirou's lips, felling my defences and making me simply want to catch up with my adorable (albeit slightly twisted in the mind and almost certainly overly-hormonally charged) onii-san.</p><p>"Well, this isn't fair. You know who I am while I'm clueless about your identity. To whom do I owe this extraordinary pleasure of meeting?" Kichirou bowed ever so slightly in my direction.</p><p>I allowed a faint smile to gloss my lips.</p><p>"It's Hart, Emily Hart."</p><p>…</p><p>My brother was quite the skilled conversationalist, and my impression of him being an unalterable playboy soon seemed to dissipate. He showed more than adequate interest in the fictitious Emily I was, rather than just wanting to take advantage of me as a woman. (Or maybe that there just wasn't enough woman in me to take advantage of.) As the night went on, I was glad that Kichirou had found me, even if it meant that he might have found out who I really was. The company he gave reminded me that I was here because of my own abilities, having been accepted to LME on my own accord, rather than because I was the little angel of the Tsuruga family. It was precisely because I was Emily at the moment; not Etsuko; I found enough strength to keep my head held high.</p><p>Until our light-hearted, harmless conversation took an almighty, ominous detour.</p><p>"Miss Hart, you're still in high school right?" Kichirou prodded a bit. "What does your family think about you joining showbiz at such a young age?"</p><p>"Truth be told, they don't really know yet," I stammered my way through, the lovely dinner I just had threatening to make its way out of my stomach walls as I began to feel nauseous.</p><p>"Well, they'll find out eventually, there are only so many excuses you can give for not being around every other night."</p><p>"That's not much of a concern, really, I live alone." The words came out of my mouth accompanied by a wan, forlorn smile, and I couldn't help but carry on. "You'd be surprised how much they don't know."</p><p>I was shocked at what slipped out of my mouth. Never once had I said anything that implicated the rest of my family so. Was I a little less cautious because Kichirou was ultimately family anyway, even if he didn't know it? What if I subconsciously wanted to spite him for not being with me, all these years? I shuddered at the thought of it. How could I be so selfish, when my entire being had been constantly doted on and protected by those linked to me by blood? Japan's second most desirable man, my dear brother in front of me, was specimen number one; he was already keeping me from having to face this daunting ball alone. And here I was, throwing a fit that I was being left behind.</p><p>"Wow, that's a lot of angst for someone your age," Kichirou paused awhile and scratched the back of his head. "I can't believe I'm saying this. I know it's nothing much, but if there's anything you need to talk about, maybe I can just listen? Would that help?"</p><p>"Are you this nice to everyone you meet?" I asked dubiously, still guilty from having unconsciously accused my family.</p><p>"Not really, it's just that, you….you remind me of someone I know," Kichirou's features softened a bit, "someone very dear to me."</p><p>
  <em>Whoever she is, she must be one lucky girl to have onii-san's heart like that.</em>
</p><p>"What about you, Tsuruga-san," I ventured boldly, not sure if I wanted to know the answer to my next question, "do you ever want to pack your bags and leave the family business? Stop being in showbiz altogether?"</p><p>"All the time," Kichirou stared at the carpeted banquet floor rather grimly, and I was shocked at how serious he sounded. "You can't believe how stressful it is to have such successful parents, and even Kaitou; it's impossible to carve a name for yourself without having others comparing you to them. What's worse is when they allege that the only reason you're succeeding is because you're riding on the velvet coat-tail of your family's name."</p><p>It hit me like a lightning bolt. This was the other side of the fence I never saw. The free expanse of endless green fields that I always pined to run around barefoot and careless in with the rest of my family was only another cruel harvesting ground for the likes of stars like Onii-san, who had reputations to uphold and conventions to follow. <em>Don't you remember Etsuko? Kaitou and Kichirou never had a choice whether they wanted the limelight. You do, yet you're still here. Don't you appreciate what you have? Your anonymity is a blessing, not a curse. </em>The thoughts clouded my mind, like dark curtains looming, threatening to rain on the fields that I was about to cross onto. The hole in the fencing I had made was small; the damage still repairable.</p><p>"But what keeps me going is knowing that I'm never doing it alone. Especially for me, when I've got someone else to protect by doing my job of being here."</p><p>Kichirou smiled at me, and I knew that smile. It was the same one he gave when he was in pain; when he didn't want others to know that he was hurting. That knowledge alone agonized me. I couldn't believe that I had spent my childhood brooding about not being with the rest of family in the limelight, not even bothering to find out how it must have felt for my brothers, who had to deal with the stress of being ever hounded by unforgiving paparazzi, and having to live up to unrealistic expectations heaped onto their shoulders day after day by the very nature of being the offspring of Tsuruga Ren and Mogami Kyoko. I knew how Otousan suffered when he tried to make a name for himself while everyone knew who Ojisan was in America. I just never knew that it translated into the exact same situation when my brothers came onto the acting scene themselves. I took one more look at Kichirou, and I wanted his forgiveness for all those years that I burned with jealousy, or cried alone and indirectly blamed him. The thunderstorms he must have had weathered alone would have made my dark clouds look like dust bunnies. Even more so, when he had another Tsuruga Kaitou to be compared to. After all, for every tear I had shed, Kichirou must have had reason to cry two more.</p><p>So I hugged my beloved Kichi-Onii-san, whispered in his ear, and bustled off into the crowd.</p><p>Before I could get far however, my route of escape was promptly blocked by my eldest brother, swiftly weaving in and out of the multitudes that the President had invited.</p><p>…"Miss, do realise that as much as you like my dear brother Kichirou over here, it is only polite to behave yourself at functions like these," Kaitou bore a visage that seemed about as long as Lory's Christmas wish list, at the same time using Otousan's signature, spiteful gentleman's smile.</p><p>The shock of being in such close proximity to both my brothers while I was disguised took its toll on me, and I was simply paralysed with fear from head to toe. <em>Way to go Etsuko, they may not know who you are, but you're forever going to be known as "that brazen hussy at the Christmas ball". </em>As I stood still, much like a kangaroo seemingly pinned invisibly right in the middle of the road before becoming road kill, I could vaguely hear Kichirou stand up for me in the background.</p><p>"Forget her Kichirou," Kaitou shook his head, "we need to get out of here now."</p><p>"What's wrong?"</p><p>"I'll give you two minutes with this girl," Kaitou huffed, "I'll tell you after I call Etsu."</p><p>
  <em>Etsu? Kaitou was going to call me?</em>
</p><p>"Kaitou, tell me what's going on," Kichirou reached for Kaitou's shoulder, at the same split second that I was about to turn on my heels and make a mad dash for it.</p><p>"It's Ojisan," I could hear the quiver in Kaitou's voice, "he's been hospitalised."</p><p>I stopped dead in my tracks.</p><p>Just in time to hear the familiar opening lines of the pokemon theme song, blasting from the confines of my little black clutch.</p><p>And for both my brothers to widen their eyes in recognition of their sister's ringtone, undoubtedly unchanged since they left her in America all those years ago.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I watched shell-shocked as Kaitou and Kichirou stared right back at me. There was so much I wanted to say at the moment, but the words of denial, of fear and of worry for Ojiisan failed to articulate themselves, even though they were already on the tip of my tongue. I didn't know what to do first; to run or to simply admit I was their failure of a sister so that we could all rush ourselves to the hospital to see our dear grandfather. We wasted another good ten seconds in that stiff-necked position, not sure who would make the first move, or even what move would be the most appropriate one to make in such a bizarre circumstance.</p><p>Finally, I decided that I would be a kangaroo in the spotlight no longer. Who wants to be road kill anyway?</p><p>"Come on Kaitou, Kichirou, it's me," I pulled off my mask and shifted my wig slightly in one swift motion, enough for them to see my blond locks beneath, exactly the same shade as Kichirou's. "At least you don't have to waste time picking me up. Can we go now?"</p><p>Kaitou looked about as stunned as yesterday's meatloaf being taken out from the freezer to be reheated for a meal, if meatloaves were entitled the privilege of emotions. Kichirou looked no better, and it crossed my mind that he would have just realised that he spent the last half an hour first hitting on his little sister, and then sharing a little deep dark secret with her without him even knowing it. My heart ached for his poor traumatised and tormented soul.</p><p>"But…but why Etsu?" Kichirou stammered. "No, how? When? Why?"</p><p>"You owe us a long, long explanation, young lady," Kaitou stepped closer with a flabbergasted smile and briskly hid my yellow locks beneath the striking red wig, "but after we see Ojiisan, and most definitely after you change that blasted ringtone of yours."</p><p>Kichirou shuffled to my side, looking up and down at my ensemble, his face still reflecting the utter disbelief he felt. I playfully grabbed his arm as we tactically made our way out of the ballroom, inwardly laughing at my scowling, second brother, who did once tell me that there was nothing to hit on, and did exactly that. And I must say I saw him blush earlier when I hugged him without abandon. Taking one more look at him, Kichirou's long lanky form stared daggers back into me, before his features finally softened and he shook his head with a gentle, slightly disbelieving yet altogether disarming smile.</p><p>Just as Kichirou leaned over to kiss my head, it should have registered in my mind that any girl receiving obvious physical endearments from not just one but both of Japan's most desirable men should at least be watching out for any image capturing devices.</p><p>…</p><p>As the first son of the Tsuruga family bustled his younger siblings into his sleek black Mercedes, he made me sit at the back, crouched down and legs tucked in, at least until we were out of a 2km radius of the hotel that LME had fully reserved for the party. At Kichirou's signal, I emerged from my rather uncomfortable position on the rough inner carpet of Kaitou's car. Kichirou took the liberty to stare at me once again.</p><p>"I can't believe you didn't recognise her," Kaitou smirked, "you guys talked for at least half an hour."</p><p>"She was wearing a mask!" Kichirou retorted.</p><p>"Come on onii-san, even I know how terrible that lie is," I chuckled from the backseat as I watched Kichirou fold his arms in a huff. "I'll explain everything later, don't worry."</p><p>"You'd better," Kaitou stated plainly. "Etsu, call Okasan; they left already, and we should be catching the next flight out to Washington DC."</p><p>I gingerly dialled my mother's familiar number and got through to a very calm, yet oddly annoyed woman. Putting the phone on speaker, I quickly replied her irate "hello" with a more cheery version of "Okasan!"</p><p>"Oh, Etsu, are you with Kaitou and Kichirou now?" Okasan's voiced was laced with the once again, odd tinge of malice.</p><p>"She's in the car, Okasan. What's wrong with Ojiisan? And why do you sound so cheesed off?" Kichirou piped up, echoing my sentiments exactly.</p><p>"Well, you can either send Etsu home, or head back to the Happy Grateful party," Okasan stated mirthlessly, "it seems your baka Ojiisan simply ate too much over the holidays and suffered a minor heartburn, and then your Obaasan just sounded the alarm without thinking twice. He'll be fine."</p><p>You've got to be kidding me. I revealed my identity to these two idiots for almost absolutely nothing? Now I could understand why my mother sounded as about irritated as a reluctant spotted cow made to change its perfect grazing spot to a less than perfect one far away. It even was her day after all; my mother would be celebrating yet another successful year in her life. And the perfect night had to be interrupted by her father-in-law crying wolf due to his inhumane penchant for scarfing down everything he wanted; hook, line, sinker and the entire wharf; at those American party buffet spreads. Served him right to be a beached whale now. A part of me pitied my mother, and the other part had the utmost sympathy for the party hosts that had to cater enough to feed my glutton of a grandfather. And like a cow, that old fart probably had four stomachs. Or more.</p><p>"And I'm taking your mother on a well-deserved holiday," Otousan's voice suddenly broke my train of cows – I mean – thoughts. "Since we're already at the airport, right Kyoko-chan?"</p><p>"For the love of reindeer can you two get a room?" Kaitou grimaced, the throbbing vein on his forehead already threatening to pop out. "I can hear the pheromones oozing through my telecom service provider already."</p><p>"That's exactly what I intend to do, and more; much, <em>much</em> more," a sultry, emperor of the night voice echoed within the confines of my brother's car, just as the line went dead, leaving all three Tsuruga offspring with chilly spines, in the worst way possible.</p><p>Kichirou was the first one to break the disgusted silence, if silence could ever be disgusted in the first place.</p><p>"Kai, Etsu; do you think that sick bastard of a father enjoys tormenting us like this?"</p><p>I replied in the affirmative.</p><p>"Most definitely yes."</p><p>…</p><p>The amicable, light-hearted banter between the three of us continued throughout the drive to my apartment, where we unanimously agreed that it was the safest place where we could talk. This jovial atmosphere, however, came to an abrupt halt when we finally entered my humble abode, where my brothers immediately sat down and grilled me like a salted fish on a thin bamboo skewer. I spilled everything; how Yuuichi asked me to film the video, how Lory encouraged me to join the business, how Jelly-san insisted she disguise me and give me a whole new persona altogether. It somehow felt good to get it out of my system, and my brothers listened with open minds and ears.</p><p>"So it's only been a month since you've been on the scene?" Kaitou quizzed. "Nothing out of the ordinary, no one approaching you and saying you look like Okasan?"</p><p>"Nope," I shook my head in the negative. "No one suspects anything yet. But…some of my schoolmates do know who I am. Yuuichi for starters, Hikaru is a given, and the school president. No one other than those few and I do trust them to keep quiet about it."</p><p>"That's good to know," Kichirou chimed.</p><p>"Don't tell Otousan and Okasan," I immediately jumped at the chance to keep the situation as contained as possible.</p><p>"Why not? Once they know, they'll be able to protect you so much better."</p><p>"Kaitou, I'm already 16, there's no need to be protected! Okasan wasn't, and she turned out just fine."</p><p>Another wave of silence washed over the three of us, but it wasn't a comfortable one. I looked at both my older brothers, and it seemed as if once again, there was something I didn't know. They shared bonds and experiences that I would never be able to understand, because I was alone. The selfish Etsuko in me simply kicked in all over again and I turned my eyes to the plush carpet in my living room, moving my toes around and seeking whatever warmth it could offer in the surprisingly chilly room.</p><p>"Kai," Kichirou started, "we should tell her."</p><p>"No," Kaitou's sculpted features hardened into an obvious frown, yet as Kichirou stared rather wide-eyed at our eldest brother, the latter's stance changed. "Fine, she'll have to know one day."</p><p>I narrowed my eyes at my siblings. What had they been hiding from me? I didn't like the fact that they were still reluctant to speak about something so obviously important, yet expected me to be completely honest with them about why I had joined the family business. Right about now, I found myself loathing the way my family conducted its business, obviously leaving me out of a critical loop. Kichirou read the lines of anxious annoyance etched across my face, and took the liberty to start the ball rolling.</p><p>"Okasan and Otousan never thought of hiding us away because they weren't expecting anything to happen," Kichirou stated, then looked at me rather gingerly, "but a few months before you were born, Kaitou and I were kidnapped, right at the doorstep of our kindergarten."</p><p>I blinked. Kai and Kichi Oniisan being kidnapped? This was new.</p><p>"Kichirou was only four then. There was no ransom note, no absurd demands, nothing," Kaitou stared into the distance, as if something was plaguing him, a demon that he couldn't shake off. "We were taken away for the entire day, and the strangest thing was when we were dropped off right back at our doorstep that very night, unscathed and perfectly fine."</p><p>"That's it?" My voice was laced with disdain and shock that I didn't bother to conceal. "That's all you're going to tell me? Who took you? Why?"</p><p>"It doesn't matter who took us, or why," Kaitou raised his stern voice a decibel too high for my liking. "The bottom line of telling you this is so you'll understand that all Okasan and Otousan wanted to achieve by hiding you away from the world of showbiz is because they want to protect you more than anything else. As long as you work in showbiz, no one must ever know your real identity."</p><p>"There's a lot you're not telling me Kaitou. I don't like that."</p><p>I watched as Kichirou heaved a sigh, scratched his blond locks and shook his head at Kaitou.</p><p>"Kai, if you're going to tell her, do it properly. It's a lot more complex than he's making it out to be." Kichirou's tone suddenly turned serious and he leaned forward toward me. "But Etsu, you need to promise me that you won't get too freaked out."</p><p>I nodded my head in acceptance, wondering where this conversation was going.</p><p>"That entire afternoon we were so well taken care of, it didn't feel like a kidnapping at all. The van headed straight for Kyoto, where it stopped at a worn-out, run-down inn. A meal of saba-shio and piping hot miso had already been set out, and a really nice elderly inn-keeper made sure we had eaten well, and then prepared the onsen for us. And the food, it tasted exactly how Okasan would make it."</p><p>"A while after we came out of the bath," Kaitou continued, rubbing his temples, "another elderly woman came to meet us. She was almost skin and bones, it was frightening. But there was something in her eyes that couldn't help us from being drawn toward her, yet quake in fear. She didn't say anything at all; just looked on with a stern, unwavering gaze."</p><p>"Then she pat our heads, muttered, 'good job, Kyoko', and simply left the room."</p><p>"After that, we were bustled back onto the van, and this time, there was another man inside, other than the driver. Black hair, lanky form; haunted and piercing blue eyes. He didn't say anything, and neither did we."</p><p>"Until the van pulled up right in front of our house in Tokyo, where Otousan and Okasan were already outside, waiting, like they knew we were fine and were on the way home," Kichirou said quietly. "The man came out of the van with us, but Okasan immediately stood between him and us. Otousan hugged us tightly and whisked us inside the house, but not before I turned around and saw Okasan give the guy a hard slap on his cheek."</p><p>They kept silent for a while, alternating between observing my reaction and looking down at the carpet, hoping that it wasn't too much for me to take it. My mind worked on overdrive for a while. Why would our parents react that way? How come Okasan knew that they were coming home? Why didn't they call the police? How could Okasan dare to lay her hands on such a dangerous man? There was only one plausible explanation, yet as I ran it through my mind, it already sounded as absurd as I thought it would have.</p><p>"Did Okasan and Otousan know who the kidnapper was?" I ventured cautiously.</p><p>"Bingo," Kaitou's voice was soft. "And what that man told us seconds before we left the van is precisely why Okasan decided never to reveal your existence to the press."</p><p>"What did he say?"</p><p>Kichirou pursed his lips.</p><p>"<em>Tell your mother I hope your sister grows up to be as beautiful as she is.</em>"</p><p>I didn't know how to react. That must have been some serious stalking skills, having known that I was a girl even before I was born. But there was one question still left unanswered.</p><p>"So who was this man?"</p><p>"Etsu," Kaitou leaned in ever so slightly, "have you heard of this particular Fuwa Shoutaro?"</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I stood pensively in front of Yuuichi's door, my clenched, trembling fist inches away from its wooden surface.</p><p>It felt like an invisible, impenetrable barrier had suddenly formed between the entrance of his apartment and my hands, just as a steel trap had descended around me earlier after I had heard about Kaitou and Kichirou's ordeal. What had I been thinking? Of course there had to be a reason why Okasan and Otousan had me hidden all these years. Even if I didn't ask, I should have known better than to challenge it. And here I was, confiding in the "best friend" who was more or less responsible for the chance I had to enter the industry; which I foolishly leapt at. Yet there was something in me that turned the fear and the worry into courage, perhaps even a courage out of desperation. But it didn't matter.</p><p>I gave the door a firm, resounding knock.</p><p>The seconds felt like centuries as I waited for a response. Come to think of it, Yuuichi might not even be home yet. He might not even have realised that I had even left the Happy Grateful Party, since he was already having so much fun socialising. It had just past midnight and festivities were probably still ongoing in the lavish ballrooms, in the world where I never did and never would belong. In the world where my existence would simply mean that my parents had more to fear; more to worry about.</p><p>After my brothers had left around eleven, I took a shower. You know those times when you stand under the stream of hot water and let your mind, soul and tears get washed away as everything mixes and flows off your heated skin? I had no idea how long I simply stood there in silence, with nothing but hot jets of water cascading over my shoulders. I tugged at the seams of my comfortable, warm hoodie as I waited for Yuuichi, my expectations and hopes dwindling to nothing. I was about to turn my back on the door when it tentatively creaked, then was suddenly thrown wide open.</p><p>"ETSU! ETSU WHERE THE HECK WERE YOU?"</p><p>Yuuichi's face was flushed with a mixture of anger and relief, and I gave a wan smile in return.</p><p>"Long story. Left the party with my brothers, and I was in my apartment since 10pm – "</p><p>"BUT I KNOCKED YOUR DOOR FOR AGES! Why didn't you pick up your phone? Why did you leave without saying anything with," Yuuichi's eyes narrowed in frustration, then stared at me in bewilderment, "with your brothers?"</p><p>I nodded in the affirmative, watching the size of his eyes grow into saucers. No matter which part of the world you hail from, if someone's eyes are capable of expanding to anywhere near the width of actual saucers, best to hold an exorcism. But I digress. Heaving a long, tired sigh, I shut his door silently, walking past him (or technically past his chest, due to his freakishly overgrown, tall form) and sat down on his couch, motioning for him to do the same. Yuuichi's gaze bore deep into my silhouette as I practically melted into the plush. I knew he could see my swollen eyes, but I felt too weak, too drained to deny anything, even if I wanted to say I was just fine.</p><p>Bright clear blue irises met my muddied, puffy eyes.</p><p>"Etsu, you know you can tell me anything right?" Yuuichi's concern evident as my gaze averted his involuntarily.</p><p>Playing with the ends of my hair, I stared at everything and nothing, all at once.</p><p>"Etsu, if you want to cry, just go ahead. Whatever happened is in the past, you'll be fine. I'm not going to judge if you-"</p><p>I was gone. I was sick and tired of being treated like a victim. Like a bird in a gilded cage. I was sick of being trapped by everyone else, their fears; their worries. My family, Yuuichi's own mysterious past that I would never know of. Hikaru and Aya-sempai; they went to such great lengths to protect me. What was the use of their protection? Whoever it was out there, if he could get Kaitou and Kichirou, he could get me. He would get me. If he didn't, I would still forever remain locked and watched over. Sakura? Sakura judged me from the moment I dared to stand up for myself. She judged without reason; and that was what everyone else in the industry would do – judge and jury determining that I was nothing more than a coat-tail rider. Yuuchi made it sound like others judged me anyway, whether I cried or not. Maybe he did judge me; for my cowardice. But at the moment I was too blinded to realise that the very person who had clipped my wings and shoved me behind bars was none other than myself.</p><p>I regretted it as soon as the words left my lips.</p><p>"Stop treating me like a child when you're trapped in your past too."</p><p>Yuuichi flinched like I had slapped him, jerking back into the couch. Wordlessly, his expression changed as he stood, then glared down at me.</p><p>"That doesn't give you the right to use it against me though," Yuuichi's flat voice was stoic as he turned away and prepared to walk somewhere, somewhere he wouldn't have to deal with the girl whom he thought had known him, yet chose to hurt him instead.</p><p>As the light faded, the shadows crept in as his form loomed over my tiny frame.</p><p>"Yuuichi, wait, please; I'm sorry," I sprang from the couch, watching him as he stopped in his tracks, "I'm sorry I took it out on you."</p><p>Yuuichi didn't move, and I couldn't will myself to do so either.</p><p>"Please believe me. Please Yuuichi," the tears threatened to spill. "Please look at me. Say something, anything."</p><p>He finally turned around, heart-achingly slow, with a single tear trailing down his cheek.</p><p>"I don't know what happened, but I swear I'm going to find the bugger who did this to you and punch his face concave, then fry his sorry arse– "</p><p>In that moment, the floodgates opened and the shackles that chained my feet to the floor came undone, and I moved of my own accord. My arms seemed compelled by a life of their own, fuelled by the waves of emotions that swelled and tossed me around like a tiny fishing vessel. The winds and tides pushed me forward, forward; to be one with the sky. The ship had docked, and I was ready to come ashore from a long and perilous journey.</p><p>Throwing my arms around him, I hugged Yuuichi with all the force that I had left and emptied a sea of tears into the front of his shirt.</p><p>…</p><p>Yuuichi held me till there were no more tears, just a comfortable silence. Yet my arms were still around him, still holding him tight, still holding him close. My toes curled in the plush carpet. A blush started to creep up my tear-stained cheeks and if it was possible for faces to burn, mine was probably a volcano that was about to explode and make Pompeii look like a measly party popper. So I let go.</p><p>But Yuuichi didn't.</p><p>"Just like this," his breathed softly and tugged me a bit nearer, "Just a while more."</p><p>"I'm not…crying anymore," my gentle voice matched his tone.</p><p>"No, not yet. I'm not letting go till all that weight you've been hauling around is good as gone."</p><p>I chuckled a little and shifted.</p><p>"I'm warning you if that's the case you might have to hug me forever. Like a koala bear."</p><p>"Where do I apply for the job?" I could've sworn I heard Yuuichi grin. (If you could even hear grins. Once again if you can, call for an exorcism).</p><p>His grip loosened and I wriggled my way out of his arms, making a quick dash to his apartment's kitchen with a laugh, wanting to simply give him a run for it. Yuuichi gave chase and cornered me as I squealed in mock fear, grinning from ear to ear simply from allowed to be childish for a while. That was something about Yuuichi I admired so much, his love for life even though at times it got him down. Every circumstance he was placed in became an opportunity to shine, rather than simply an obligation to live or trudge through the day. If he could do it, so could I. Life was simply difficult so we would all be stronger because of it.</p><p>As I pondered over that realisation, Yuuichi swept me off my feet, literally.</p><p>"Hey hey hey I told you not to carry weird girls around already!" I yelled as his firm arms whisked me away from the kitchen, princess-style, with my fists pounding on his incredibly muscular chest.</p><p>"Ooof, you're heavy," Yuuichi simply continued grinning. "I'll give you a free trial of the latest washing machine slimming fad."</p><p>"What slimming – AHHHHHH!"</p><p>Before I could even stammer out a coherent reply, the world spun around me in a kaleidoscope of colour, like a long-awaited romance between the palette of colours in Adobe Photoshop and a full blown hurricane. Yuuichi had spun himself around in circles, such that my form, which was trapped in his arms, rotated around the room at full speed with him. Stopping only to burst out laughing, a dizzy Yuuichi plonked me back onto to the couch before crashing right beside me in it.</p><p>"Feeling better?" The full force of his bright crystal blue eyes and angelic smile seemed to be directed right at me.</p><p>"Yeah," my cheeks were flushed red, and I wasn't sure whether it was simply the spinning that had done it. "Yuuichi, I have good news and bad news."</p><p>"Good news first."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"So I can hug you again because of the bad news, and we can XXXXX immediately after about the good news."</p><p>I gave a mirthless smile and proceeded to whack him on the forehead.</p><p>"Good news is that when I was talking to Director Ogata, he offered me a position as a producer in a mini-series. Filming starts in the second week of January," my eyes were downturned, and as the words rolled out, it made me nervous that it was actually happening, yet at the same time, I felt an inexplicable sense of pride and gratitude. "It's all because the Director saw your music video, so thank you for giving me this chance, Yuuchi."</p><p>"First of all it is OUR music video. Secondly, you made the chance for yourself," he was still rubbing the sorry bump on his head which I'd given him (and he deserved), as he continued. "Correct me if I'm wrong but I remember you being proud of the finished product too."</p><p>Yuuichi watched my smile fade.</p><p>"So what about the bad news?" He prompted.</p><p>"I...possibly found out the real reason why my parents kept me out of the spotlight today," in the back of my mind, I just wanted to get the fear out, so that it'd be done and over with.</p><p>Out it came, that my brothers were kidnapped before I was born, that they knew the frightful, elderly woman they had met was my maternal grandmother. But for the life of me I couldn't remember one singular, most important detail.</p><p>"That's fine, don't exert yourself. Bad memories are not worth keeping anyway," stating plainly as I felt him relax into the couch.</p><p>Yet there was a nagging feeling that refused to let go of my thoughts, and something ominous and foreboding ate away at my mind. There was a relation that I would not know till much later, but I sensed it at the back of my mind.</p><p>I couldn't remember the kidnapper's name.</p><p>…</p><p>It had been a good fifteen minutes that I had been racking my brain for the elusive, yet important piece of information, yet it seemed to evade my grasp. There was a fear within me that I could not comprehend; maybe that was why I had blocked it out the moment I heard it. It was at this moment I took a good look at the clock that on Yuuichi's wall, which showed that it was 5 minutes past midnight. I picked up my phone and chose a familiar number, hoping that my dearest mother was still waiting for the next flight out of town.</p><p>"Yes Etsu?" A cheery voice answered the phone.</p><p>"Where are you heading to for your 10 millionth honeymoon?"</p><p>"To Guam," I could well hear my mother's blush. "Your Otousan loves it there."</p><p>"Okasan, I'm happy for you. Merry Christmas!" I beamed widely, "and happy birthday!"</p><p>As I wished my mother over the phone, I could feel a warm hand rest on my head, calmly stroking my hair. Rather than tensing up, Yuuichi's petting simply relaxed me as I continued talking to my mom.</p><p>"Thanks dear. Oh, and while Kaitou was bringing over some essentials from home to the airport, he did tell us a great deal."</p><p>It was at this moment that I stiffened up.</p><p>"We'll be coming back on New Year's Eve, and Kaitou did say you mentioned Yuuichi-san to your brothers, that he's been helping you out at school. I love you dear, and even if you deny it, I'd like to meet Yuuichi."</p><p>"Ahhh…Okasan…"</p><p>"Come on Etsu you can tell me how you feel about him. I can already hear you blushing." Was my mother of all people teasing me?</p><p>"Okasan please!" I was halfway between choking on air, dying of shock and wondering if that was all Kaitou told them.</p><p>"So bring him along for New Year's Day dinner, got it? We're boarding the plane already!" Her chirpy, cutey honey voice belted over the phone.</p><p>"Okay," I sighed in resignation, yet grinning at the same time.</p><p>"Merry Christmas Etsu, I love you!"</p><p>"Love you too, Okasan."</p><p>The line went dead, as I flushed with slightly more joy than the impending embarrassment of asking Yuuichi to dinner with my slightly abnormal family. You know the family tree that was full of nuts? Yeah, that one. I was going to ask Yuuichi to dinner with THAT family. Yet, the thought about it spread warmth within me, something that was akin and synonymous with the season's joyous, festive warmth.</p><p>"You seem happy," it was at this moment I realised Yuuichi was still petting my head, "it's Christmas, share the love."</p><p>"You've been cordially invited for a New Year's Eve dinner with my family," I asked with a radiant smile. "Do you chose to accept this quest?"</p><p>Yuuichi's face morphed from comfortable, to taken-aback, before he seemed to genuinely consider the prospect of a whacked-out dinner with my whacked-out blood relations.</p><p>"Do I get the princess as the reward?" Yuuichi ventured a request.</p><p>"No princess, but loads of free food," I snickered.</p><p>"That's mildly disappointing, but still, I accept the quest." Yuuichi's eternal grin persisted as his face inched closer to mine, the hand that was on the back of the couch so close that I could feel its warmth beside my cheek.</p><p>It was at this point that my breath hitched, simply caught in his playful gaze. It was also at this particular moment that I knew that my mother had not been quite that far off the mark in her teasing. If it was mother's intuition, as I would muse to Yuuchi in the future, Okasan had it three times over. What I didn't know was that it was more a very personal, trying experience with her obtuse self that allowed her to see it in me, yet currently it was not for me to comprehend the manner and ways we were very much alike in our torments.</p><p>"So can I apply for the job? You know, the koala bear one," Yuuichi tilted his face down, yet lifted his gaze to meet mine, somehow now instead of being just blue, was like dense mist rolling carefully over clear water, like smoke rising from origins unknown that flustered rather than frightened me.</p><p>"Don't look at me like that," I muttered bashfully and pushed his mischievous face away, though still met his gaze and answered his question. "But well, since I'm not sad, the position's not available anymore."</p><p>"That's good," Yuuichi's right palm cupped my cheek as my heart simply melted away while he murmured.</p><p>"Merry Chiristmas Etsu."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Emily, I'm so glad you could make it these past three days on such short notice," Director Ogata smiled kindly at me as we poured over the rough scripts and storyboard drafts. "You're working so hard even on New Year's Eve – your family must miss you very much."</p><p>"It's fine Director, thank you so much for your hard work," I grinned heartily, still giddy with excitement that I could be a part of the 6 episode mini-series romantic-comedy he was directing. "My family is just as busy, but I'll be having dinner with them tonight to celebrate the New Year."</p><p>"That's wonderful. Let's hope the cast meeting and rehearsal goes smoothly, and we can call it a day."</p><p>Director Ogata stood up and I followed him, like a fledgling waddling after her parent, together with the main producers who were working on the series with him. Over the past three days, I had mainly learnt that I had a lot to learn. Everyone on the producing team was incredibly professional, soaring steadily and confidently in their element, offering clear ideas and direction that the series should take, and drafting out the scripts and storylines in a flurry of enthusiasm and efficiency. It was daunting to work beside them and offer ideas, but simply listening to how passionate they were about telling the story inspired me to desire to be like them, to spread my wings and show the world what I could offer too.</p><p>Director Ogata had briefed me about the work commitments and given me a run-down of the main storyline – how a pair of twins; sons of an American hotel tycoon; liked the same Japanese girl working in their hotel (named Sakura, of all the Japanese names they could have chosen), but she doesn't realise they are two separate boys. The budget had been fully sponsored by a rich American hotel owner who wanted the series to be filmed in California, in order to encourage more Japanese to travel there for their holidays. Director Ogata and the other producers were pleasantly surprised that I had lived in California, and was able to offer advice about wardrobe and setting matters. However, the filming in America bothered me a little; my parents still weren't aware that I had joined LME, and certainly would raise an eyebrow or two if I didn't visit for dinner the entire month that we would be filming overseas. But that would come later, as I was sure that Lory had a few tricks or two up his sleeve. Maybe I could arbitrarily extend my spring break on my own, using the excuse that I missed my grandmother's cooking, eat until I bloated like a stuffed turkey, and suffer from a heartburn similar to the one Kuu Ojiisan was having at the moment.</p><p>Right now, however, we were about to meet the main cast of the mini-series. The nervousness was palpable under my skin, and I felt like a chick who was about to take its first flight out of the nest. I was certain my flaming red wig was out of place, after having twirled the ends of the wig since the moment I stepped into the conference room this morning, and I was perspiring so badly I thought my feathers – no, I mean; my hair – would fall right off.</p><p>When Director Ogata opened the door to the briefing room, my worries waned for a while when I saw Kaitou and Kichirou, lazing in their armchairs, looking relaxed, comfortable, and even seemed like they expected to see me.</p><p>Until my worries popped right back up, like daisies, when I saw my arch-nemesis in the armchair right next to them, blowing on her perfectly manicured nails and tossing her flawless locks.</p><p>…</p><p>"Everyone okay with the timeline and scripts?" Director Ogata was about to move on to the rehearsal, after introducing the main cast and crew to one another. "Well, let's take five, then meet again for the read-through and rehearsal."</p><p>I filed out of the room mechanically, heading to the vending machine around the corridor. Apparently the budget was big enough to hire my two superstar brothers to be the twins, since they looked alike, save the fact that Kaitou would have to dye his hair, and did have Western facial features thanks to my model grandmother. It pains me that I did not see this coming even after three days of reading through the scripts and realising that this drama called, or practically screamed at the top of its lungs, for Japanese actors popular and Western-looking enough to attract the growing number of young and successful Japanese women to holiday in California. My brothers were a logical choice, and I did not question their casting.</p><p>What I really was questioning, however, was how long I could further hold on to my sanity. Because right now, I was close to completely and utterly losing it.</p><p>The Sakura of my nightmares was about to be the main lead of my first ever drama.</p><p>What the actual heck.</p><p>"Hi there Emily! Can I…call you Emi-chan?" Sakura's sweet, chirpy voice bounced off the LME corridors like rubber pellets, making the hair on my neck stand at complete attention even under my wig. "Emi-chan I'm so glad we can work together on this drama! You know Yuuichi, the guy you helped film the music video for? He's my boyfriend! What a coincidence!"</p><p>I was about to punch the living daylights out of this delusional snake.</p><p>Too bad I had to be professional Emily, calm Emily, collected Emily, Producer Emily – I willed myself to breathe in and out in order to conduct a decent conversation. Her tone was exactly the same as the one she used in school while sucking up to the teachers. What a coincidence it had been that the same man who was giving Youdai High enough money to operate was also the owner of a hotel in California, and had asked that his daughter, Akane Sakura, be given a the main lead in the cast. I don't blame him, he was probably trying to make up for his absence by giving her anything she wanted, be it control over the school or even using his money to buy her the fame and attention she so desperately needed. What I knew, though, was that I neither wanted nor needed any of the attention she was giving me now.</p><p>"Ah, Yuuichi never really mentioned he had a girlfriend when we were filming though," I turned around and sipped my milk tea nonchalantly, smirking a little and wanting to shake her confidence like she had done with mine. "You're young – have you had any acting experience?"</p><p>"As a matter of fact, I have," she effortlessly changed the topic, "I need your help later Emi-chan, I need to get close to Tsuruga Kaitou. Just a short moment with him; he's so dreamy!"</p><p>"Aren't…you…already dating Yuuichi?" I knew this wasn't true, but at this point, both Emily and Etsuko were equally confused.</p><p>Sakura flashed the cunning smile I knew so well from school, but I wasn't sure what Emily had done to deserve the demon-snake-with-three-heads grin that Sakura was currently giving me. Jelly-san's disguise had always been the shield that I could hide behind for the past two weeks, but at this point I was not only questioning my sanity, but the effectiveness of the shield. Sakura fished out two photographs from her purse, and handed them to me. I stared straight at the image of myself hugging Kichirou at the Christmas party just a week back, and the second photograph was of Kaitou, Kichirou and I getting into the car to leave the party. Shell-shocked, I gaped at her. How had she gotten these pictures, and what was she about to do with them?</p><p>"Where…where did you get these?" I stammered, my voice threatening to break.</p><p>"It's amazing how clear the CCTVs are at Dad's hotels in Tokyo too. Come on, Emi-chan, don't play dumb, both you and I aren't here through our own abilities," Sakura scoffed, "you're secretly dating Tsuruga Kichirou, and used him to get into this mini-series. I just need to ask Kaitou-kun a little something. And I know <em>you</em> have no experience in this industry."</p><p>"Looks like you know my little secret," I bluffed as well as I possibly could. On the bright side, at least she thought I was dating him, rather than being his blood-related, full-out sister. For the record, that last blow of hers really hurt, but I wasn't going to let her see that it did. "I'll ask for a favour just for you."</p><p>Sakura chuckled mirthlessly, and turned to leave for the rehearsal.</p><p>"I just knew we'd see eye to eye. Let's have a great time working together, Emi-chan!"</p><p>…</p><p>It was quiet in Kaitou's car back home, and for the first time I was unsettled to have dinner with my family. After I had told Kaitou and Kichirou what had happened during a break in the middle of rehearsal, Kichirou had said that it was still best that Sakura thought we were dating instead, and that Kaitou should just play along. Sakura had just tried to get to know Kaitou better, asking him basic questions and whether he'd been to California before.</p><p>I may have been a fledging at the rehearsal, but I had watched Akane Sakura like a hawk. This vixen was as talented an actress as she was cunning, and she acted the role of Sakura the young hotel manager flawlessly. It really ticked me off that I couldn't pick on her non-existent mistakes, but what could I expect from a demon whose entire life was simply one big act? Her skills must have come from all the daily practice in school from feigning innocence and ignorance.</p><p>I was going to get to the root of this mystery even if it killed me. There was no way she could have obtained those pictures on her own, but at the same time, none of us could get more information out of her now that she had the upper hand. I was perplexed and frightened, yet downright curious as to what her true motives were. Worry was etched onto Kaitou's face, and the "Mogami river" had been engraved onto Kichirou's forehead the moment I showed him the photos. The earlier part of the car ride had been a turbulent one – all three of us had argued over whether to let our parents in on these events – but that would mean the certain removal of Emily Hart's existence and any possibility of finding out what was truly going on. I had vehemently protested against Kaitou's plan that I should just quit showbiz and producing altogether, and even though Kichirou suggested that he publicly "break-up" with Emily Hart so that I would have a reason to leave the project, I couldn't stomach the fact that I would be turning high tail against Director Ogata and his kindness, and run away in fear and without any concrete answers to the flurry of questions flocking in the recesses of my mind. I didn't know what I should do, but I was ultimately certain that my next course of action would not include evasion or disappearance.</p><p>"Kai, could you drop me off at the apartment? Okaasan said to bring Yuuichi along for dinner tonight. Is Megumi-chan coming for dinner too?"</p><p>My softer tone seemed to relax Kaitou a little, as he managed a wane smile.</p><p>"Okaasan invited Megumi-chan as well, but she's got plans with her own family. Thank goodness though, she's so young, I can't imagine how Okaasan could even suggest it!"</p><p>"Well," Kichirou interjected, chuckling, "you better move fast Nii-san. The industry is already starting to question your sexuality! Wait till Okaasan finds out her eldest son is rumoured to be gay because he's too shy to ask a girl out!"</p><p>"The last I checked," Kaitou wrinkled his nose in disdain, "you made eyes at our younger sister, and now people are going to think you're dating her. That can safely be considered incest. Just you wait till the oyabaka of our Otousan finds out. I believe I will get the last laugh."</p><p>"That wasn't my fault!"</p><p>"Kichi Nii-san, if my memory serves me right, you said you'd never hit on me because of my lack of assets at the chest area," I smirked, adding my share of fuel to the fire.</p><p>"Etsu why would you team with our demon lord brother!" Kichirou protested pitifully as we rounded the corner to my apartment. "I'll never trust any of you again!"</p><p>"Too bad, you're stuck with us for life," I opened the car door, traipsed out, and headed to the passenger window with a cheeky grin while throwing Kichirou a knowing look. "Next time when you bring a girl home Kichi, I'll tell her you were such a playboy, you even dated me! And if she stays with you even after that, I'll probably approve."</p><p>I could vaguely hear the annoyed whine that my ticked-off Kichirou Nii-san was giving as a guffawing Kaitou sped off into the distance, thoroughly entertained by our flustered brother.</p><p>…</p><p>Sitting on Yuuichi's couch, I watched him pensively switch his glance between a grey shirt and a blue shirt, his eyes shifting between the two choices as if he was making an important life decision. We had around an hour to reach my home for the New Year's Eve dinner, so although he had plenty of time to put an outfit together, he wasn't making much progress. He looked even more like a lost duckling than I did in the morning at LME, and I couldn't help but feel that he was adorable in his actions. What really surprised me, now in retrospect, was that I was growing more comfortable admitting how all Yuuichi's smallest actions simply won my heart over. Chuckling under my breath at his perplexed visage, I crossed the room and picked up the blue shirt.</p><p>"Wear this one," handing it to him, I barely stifled a giggle as his confusion turned to absolute relief. "There's no reason to look so flustered, it's just dinner with my parents."</p><p>"You have no idea," Yuuchi's relief suddenly morphed into resignation with a hint of contempt as he took the blue shirt, "but thanks for making up my mind for me. How was work today?"</p><p>Cautiously running my fingers through my freed golden tresses since I had taken off Jelly-san's wig, I didn't exactly know how to tell Yuuichi that Sakura had decided to wreak havoc in the persecution of Emily Hart as well as Etsuko. It was unfortunate that technology still had a long way to go in creating equipment that could just transfer memories from one mind to another, as I was highly uncomfortable with recounting today's events.</p><p>"The good news is that the mini-series will be filmed in my hometown and I will be working with my wonderful elder brothers, but the bad news is that Emily Hart will have to tolerate a certain Akane Sakura for the next three months."</p><p>Yuuichi's eyebrows shot up. Way up.</p><p>"She also mentioned that you were her boyfriend, threatened me with pictures of myself talking to Kichirou at the party, and accused me of not being there by my own talents," I sighed as I continued explaining. "Her dad is funding the project to promote his new hotel resort in California, and she's got the main lead in the mini-series. And dammit, her acting is actually worth its weight in gold."</p><p>"Whoa there Etsu, slow down. You said she threatened you? Did she know who you were?" Yuuichi set the shirt aside and led me to sit back down on the couch, his physical presence in close proximity making me flustered yet feel comforted at the same time.</p><p>"No, I don't think so. She was just using Emily to get a little closer to Kaitou. Which doesn't make sense if she told me she was dating you. And the pictures…you'd have to be actually looking through the CCTV camera footage to get them. Which means that Sakura already had something in mind regarding my brothers, and was purposefully poring over the archives from the Happy Grateful Party."</p><p>"Let me guess – your brothers told you to quit the project, but you didn't want to."</p><p>"Bingo. Ten points to Yuuichi."</p><p>We sat in pensive silence. In reality, it felt like a noiseless vacuum, but in my head, the thoughts were zooming around like jet planes in an elaborate aerial display. I glanced at Yuuichi, somehow hoping that my worried gaze would find comfort in a clear sea of blue. Why wouldn't he say something, anything to allay my fears and make me feel like everything would be alright? But in his eyes I saw the confusion that mirrored mine, and I couldn't help but regret telling him so much, and making him worry for me as well. It was heart-breaking to see his angelic appearance marred with apprehension and guilt, probably from thinking that it was his fault I was caught up in an even bigger mess. Looking back, it was ironic that I was seeking comfort from Yuuichi but ended up wanting to make sure he was fine instead. I have no idea what prompted me to do it, but I remembered how warm, tingly and comforting it had felt when Yuuichi cupped my cheek on Christmas.</p><p>"Yuuichi, look at me," I murmured, gently putting my right hand on his cheek. "I promise I will take care of myself, you don't have to look so worried."</p><p>"I may not be able to fight your wars for you," Yuuichi gave a wan smile and placed his own large palm over mine, and I was sure I was blushing bright red at the increased physical contact, "but I could give you a good luck charm to take to your battles."</p><p>The mix of anticipation and trepidation caught me in a whirlwind of emotions as Yuuichi leaned his forehead against mine, and pulled me in closer to him. I scanned his gaze for any hint of what he was about to do next, but was caught completely off guard as he slowly, achingly brought his lips an inch away from mine, as the operations in my brain completely shut down, and I acted on instinct, doing something I had wanted to do for the longest time, and not even realising it all these months.</p><p>I moved my lips an inch forward.</p><p>The kiss that came engulfed me in a wave of emotions. It was soft, tender, and I melted into Yuuichi's arms as he cupped my cheek, and I vaguely registered his other palm that supported my waist. His lips moulded with mine as my heart burst – his mouth warm, wet, and incredibly gentle as he captured my lower lip and sucked, running his tongue across it. His name involuntarily rolled off the tip of my tongue like a whisper, a cry for something I didn't recognise, and I heard him inhale sharply as the gentle Yuuichi I knew completely vanished. Pressing me against the couch, he dove in for one more searing kiss, setting my heart on fire and razing my doubts to ashes.</p><p>When Yuuichi finally pulled back, I slowly did the same, suddenly realising that my hands had been flushed against his chest, fingers curling around the front of his t-shirt and nearly begging him to come closer. My breath came out in shallow pants, and his kind gaze was the most beautiful blue I had ever looked into. Before I could drop my hands in sheer embarrassment, he had pulled me into a tight hug and planted a feather-light kiss on the top of my head. I was grateful that he couldn't see how overwhelmed I felt at that moment, drowning in a sea of contentment and light-headedness.</p><p>"Yuuichi?"</p><p>"Mmhmm?"</p><p>"Does this mean we're not best friends anymore?"</p><p>"It means you're my girlfriend, you adorable Pikachu."</p>
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<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I swore my face was completely flushed throughout the bus and subway ride to my parent's humble abode. Yuuichi had gently taken my left hand and guided me through the festive crowd, all clamouring to get to their destinations to spend New Year's Eve with their loved ones. In the subway, Yuuichi had leaned close to shield me from the swarms of people, and I was way too conscious of the way he smelled like fresh mint, while his arms, comforting and strong, had protected me from being tossed around during the bumpy ride.</p><p>"Etsu, don't go all silent on me," Yuuichi grinned as we walked down the street leading to my original home. "I kissed you, not sucked your soul out."</p><p>"I just…can't believe that you like me. And what…what if I'm only infatuated with you and your talents? What if I don't really love you and only enjoy the attention from you? Or if I'm only physically attracted to your hot bod, and I prefer a fluffy Jigglypuff instead?" My own eyes widened like saucers at my incessant rambling, and I involuntarily groaned in despair. "Gosh, I just said all that out loud, didn't I?"</p><p>"I really, really like you just the way you are Etsu, don't worry. And if you gave me more chances, I'm sure you'll like me for who I am no matter what I can do, or what I look like."</p><p>"You're sure? Because right now I think you're just on a holiday high," I mused sceptically.</p><p>"I would really appreciate it if you could accept me without rejecting me further. My poor heart has been broken by you too many times this year already, it's working in overdrive even now," Yuuichi hung his head low and shook it with resignation, a wan smile on his face.</p><p>"I'm sorry Mr Heart," I smiled sheepishly and placed my hand over Yuuichi's chest, and it scared me as I felt it thump heavily against my palm. "Woah, are you okay? Your heart is beating way too fast, you might get a heartburn while eating later!"</p><p>His bright blue orbs stared at me in utter disbelief, and was then replaced with a soothing tenderness as he pulled me in closer to his side and planted a kiss on my cheek.</p><p>"You'll be the death of me, but I wouldn't want to go any other way."</p><p>…</p><p>When we finally reached my home, I was surprised to find that Okaasan was still busy in the kitchen as Otousan was yet to return from a shoot, so I volunteered to give her a hand. Meanwhile, I entrusted my guest to Kaitou and Kichirou, who proceeded to examine the fine specimen of a man that was Yuuichi, looking him up and down tentatively before offering to show him around the house. I told my brothers to play nice, feeling a bit guilty that I hadn't told them I had feelings for Yuuichi that I had been denying, even though Okaasan knew immediately ever since I had been sick.</p><p>When I entered the kitchen, the wafting scent of pork ribs and roasted chicken arrested my olfactory senses, and simply relished the rich and warm aroma of my mother's cooking. My eyes glanced across the neatly set dishes, each prepared with tender loving care that only my mother could give. After Okaasan greeted me with a semi-hug with an oil jug in one hand and a handful of flour in the other, she tasked me to mince some garlic so that she could finish frying up the vegetables. I nodded eagerly, my stomach prepared to rest happy and well-fed that night.</p><p>As I washed my hands at the sink, I stole a glance at the living room, where my meddling second brother had pulled out an embarrassing photo album of us as children and had given Yuuichi full liberty to leaf through the pages. As bashful as I was to let Yuuichi see the kid that I was, it was entirely heartening that I could watch my brothers get along with Yuuichi, although I was currently sure they were laughing at something I was doing in a photo. Dismissing the annoyance that I briefly felt, I nearly whistled uncharacteristically as I washed and strained the grains of rice, my mother stopping me mid-rinse.</p><p>"Etsu dear, you've washed the rice four times already, with that sappy smile on your face."</p><p>"Just…making sure it's clean?"</p><p>"Great. Because I asked you to chop garlic, not wash rice," Okaasan's laughter rang out in the kitchen as I sputtered and hastily reached for the garlic instead, face turning a ripe shade of beet red. "Did something good happen between you and Yuuichi?"</p><p>"Okaasan!" My mother's keen observation skills startled me, as I almost dropped the clove of garlic I was fiddling with. "Yuuichi…um…earlier today…we…um…"</p><p>"Did he tell you he liked you?" I could almost hear her smirk.</p><p>"He told me he really, really liked me."</p><p>My blush had certainly travelled all the way to my cheeks, and I twiddled the blasted piece of garlic in my fingers before looking at my all-knowing mother.</p><p>"From the looks of it, you must have just figured that you liked him too," Okaasan smiled warmly. "It's ok Etsu, being dense in love might just run in the family. Your own grandmother wasn't all that honest with her feelings, and the man she loved disappeared before her very eyes. Even your father had some trouble convincing me that I was worth loving."</p><p>I stared in disbelief.</p><p>"You mean there was a time when Otousan COULDN'T kiss you as he liked?" The idea of that completely baffled me, as my brain began its attempt to process and recreate a near impossible scene of my father being completely rejected by my mother. "Like he loved you, but you purposely ignored it?"</p><p>"Worse," my mother let out another chuckle, and fingered her necklace, "I was completely oblivious even when he gave me Princess Rosa and the biggest rose in town, or when he hugged me to sleep, or when he kissed me on the cheek, or when he got jealous of a co-star. Even when I got jealous of him patting another girl's head, I denied that I loved him. I was quite the airhead back then. And when I saw you that day in your room, you kind of reminded me of how I used to be."</p><p>"Sorry Okaasan, but you are most definitely an unseated legend if you couldn't see that the almighty Tsuruga Ren loved you despite all that," I giggled and gestured to the chicken roasting on the grill, "I bet even a stuffed chicken could have seen through it!"</p><p>"You know the chicken costume that I showed you once? Your dad told me he loved me while I was a stuffed chicken, and I still thought he was talking about someone else."</p><p>I stared pensively as I diced the garlic neatly, peeling a few more cloves and pondering over why my mother would take so long to respond to my father's advances. As cheery as Okaasan was, she certainly wasn't an airhead, and there must have been something that clouded her vision and made her unable to accept Otousan's love. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I felt as if I was heading towards an uncharted territory of murky waters that I was completely unfamiliar with as I attempted to steer the conversation in another direction.</p><p>"Okaasan, what happened to you then? How come you couldn't accept his love?"</p><p>"That's a long story for another day," Okaasan's smile faded a little as she took the chopped garlic from me. "But now you and your brothers are my little bundles of joy, and I'm not letting anyone take that away from me."</p><p>There was something in that tone that told me the conversation was over for now, and I could not shake the nagging feeling that my mother had clearly been referencing the kidnapping that had happened in the past. Who was that man that she knew, and how had he impaired her ability to love? Why were so many questions still left unanswered, and how could my tame, sweet, loving mother be this angry at anyone else?</p><p>…</p><p>Okaasan had put the finishing touches on the roasted chicken just as we heard my father step through the front door. As we bustled around the kitchen and I brought the food to the dining table, I nearly ran to the door to greet my much-loved Otousan. Hauling me into his arms, I gave him the finest bear-hug and briefly mentioned how Okaasan had just told me all about how he had been rejected multiple times. This earned me a prolonged, pained and depressed stare from him, and a little murmuring about how it was all the blasted chicken's fault, before I burst into peals of laughter. It was at this moment that Kaitou and Kichirou stood up to welcome Otousan home as well, and I began to introduce Yuuichi to my father.</p><p>"Otousan, this is Yuuichi, Okaasan invited him for dinner, remember?" I began cheerily until I saw my father's face begin to change and reflect a darkness I did not understand.</p><p>"Sir, I'm pleased to meet…" Yuuichi was abruptly cut off by my father's terse voice.</p><p>"No. Don't even start. You're HIS son," Otousan nearly spat out the last few words, and I was completely perplexed.</p><p>"Otousan, what's wrong?"</p><p>"Etsuko, stay out of this," Otousan hissed as if he was trying to control a shout, "did you know? Did you know before coming here? ANSWER ME, ANSWER ME NOW."</p><p>"Sir, I love your daughter," Yuuichi said quietly, "why does it matter who my father is, even if he did nothing but abandon my mother and myself? I don't know what happened between him and you, but what I do know is that Etsuko has brought me joy again."</p><p>I stood shell-shocked. What was going on? I felt a sense of relief when I saw my mother step out of the kitchen, taking her first good, long look at Yuuichi, and I saw a mix of fear, sadness and anger cross her face all at the same time. No, no, NO! Not Okaasan as well! What were they all keeping from me? What did Yuuichi obviously know what they were talking about, but I had no clue of at all? Why wouldn't anyone tell me anything! A pin could have dropped in the silence and shattered the eternity that it was before my mother spoke the words that utterly broke my heart.</p><p>"I'm terribly sorry, but no son of Fuwa Shotaro's is welcome in my household at this point in time," my mother gestured to the door, "please leave, and I beg you never to contact my daughter again."</p>
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<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As I shifted in my chilly, oversized business-class seat, I wasn't sure if my limbs were numb from cold, or from a heartbreak that felt as if I had been flung off a cliff, into miry depths and then trampled upon by un-evolved mudskippers in oblivious insignificance. Mudskippers may be cute and all, but their stomping on my lifeless shell of a body sure hurt. I rubbed my temples and somehow managed to will my arm to emerge from the Japan Airlines blanket, barely registering and rueing the fact that there was still 6 hours to go on this blasted flight. Way to start the New Year Etsu, on a freezing plane, back to California, where there was the warm sun, fine white sand and endless blue sea. Where the beaming faces of my doting grandparents would be waiting for me, just raring to take me to my favourite taco stand. Where there was anything and everything that I would ever need.</p><p>Anything and everything, except Yuuichi.</p><p>I burrowed my face into the fleece, hoping that the liquid suddenly welling in my eyes was due to flight turbulence, or a change in air pressure. Even a mild concussion would be better than the sharp pain I was feeling in my chest as I thought of his name. Yuuichi. For the past six months, he was always there, he never judged, and he got so deep under my skin that before I knew it, even before we kissed – he was a part of me. And now here I was, en route to the furthest safe haven away from the boy who boldly declared his love for me in front of my intimidating father and cold-as-ice mother.</p><p>Yuuichi had left my house without any protest last night after my mother's firm words. He'd thrown me one last, long tearful gaze as he gently shut the mahogany door behind him, but didn't care for any explanations or how I would feel. It was like he had known it would happen. When I dashed toward the front door in an attempt to get to him in any way I could, I felt Kichirou holding me back, telling me it wasn't worth it, and that it was better this way. I vaguely remember turning around, kneeing my second brother in the stomach, yanking at the doorknob and frantically running out the door. For a good ten minutes, I found no trace of Yuuichi on the streets near my house, except a lone, flickering lamppost in the distance that we had walked past just an hour earlier, under which he'd kissed the top of my head. Did that mean nothing to him? His cell was off, and he was gone. Kaitou found me underneath the lamppost a while later, telling me that they had been looking everywhere for me for the past half an hour. It hadn't felt like half an hour, but I had a feeling that time would begin to crawl in order to prolong my heartbreak and suffering.</p><p>Okaasan explained everything when I had returned home. I looked past her, the life slowly draining out of my veins, as I listened to how her childhood friend Shotaro changed from a conceited brat to an egomaniacal singer. How Okaasan cut off all ties with him, even her love-hate relationship, when he'd started abusing drugs, and then abusing women. And then, when his career started to fail while Okaasan's took off, how he turned to revenge. Okaasan started to tear, and Otousan put his arm around me, saying that because Sho nearly got away with kidnapping Kaitou and Kichirou, they wanted me to stay safe with Kuu and Julie till I could take care of myself and come back. If Yuuichi knew this much about me and had joined the industry, it was too risky for me to be with him – any son of Sho's would be a direct link back to him, and I would be in danger – even if Yuuichi loved me, it didn't matter.</p><p>My parents had booked the earliest flight back to California, and Kaitou was sent to pack the essentials in my apartment to prevent me from leaving the house to find Yuuichi. All I could do was ask my mother more about what had happened in the past, even probing at who the stick thin, old woman was, and why she had seen my brothers in Kyoto, but Okaasan simply pursed her lips and said that she was the grandmother I would never know. What I did know, was that I was tired of being treated like a child, a pawn in a game of chess that I never knew I was caught in, where the pieces had fallen in place decades ago and Yuuichi and I were simply paying the price for the mistakes of the generations past.</p><p>With every word that my parents had said last night, I simply stared blankly at them. It just didn't add up. And when they had finished their narrative, I realised why the final look in Yuuichi's eyes had bothered me so much. It didn't just <em>seem</em> like he'd knew what would happen – when he accepted the invitation to dinner, he <em>knew</em> he would be recognised and chased out of my house. Yuuichi had known about his father, and what Sho had done to my family. He had known about his father's fall from grace, and when I told him about my brothers being kidnapped, he knew that his father was behind it.</p><p>And he didn't tell me anything.</p><p>The torrents poured as I bawled my heart out and sunk into a dreamless, hopefully eternal slumber thirty thousand feet above the ocean that would soon completely separate me from the person who had stolen my heart.</p><p>...</p><p>The lights shone throughout the cabin an hour before we were about to land in California. My appetite was a mere shadow of its former self, as I barely found a reason to eat more than one meal, and rejected dessert altogether, even though my parents had paid for three portions of airline food per meal time. I looked through my hand carry bag, and pulled out an innocuous letter that I had tried to forget about throughout the flight.</p><p>Kaitou had returned from my apartment yesterday with most of my things in a suitcase, packed and ready for my afternoon flight. He had gently taken my hands and placed the shoebox of letters from Jigglypuff in my grasp, then silently placed a newer-looking envelope on top of the box and left the room, stating that he had found this slipped under my apartment door. The neat, beautiful script on the envelope that spelt my name immediately told me that it was the last contact I would have with Yuuichi in a long, long time.</p><p>However, by then I was convinced that if Yuuichi knew about his own dad, then he would also have known that it was likely that I would have to cut contact with him, and doing that overseas would likely be less painful than staying in Japan and being bombarded by reminders of his existence. By extension, I reasoned with myself that I would read the letter when I was safely in America, and when I couldn't do anything about not being able to see Yuuichi ever again.</p><p>Yet, I couldn't control myself from opening the letter in my sheer desperation to hear from him, and with less than an hour till landing, I nearly tore through the flap of the envelope.</p><p>"Dear Etsu,</p><p>I promise I'll set things right. It's the only thing I've ever wanted to do for a long time. Please stay safe, don't do anything rash.</p><p>I love you.</p><p>Yuuichi."</p><p>My nervousness and anticipation suddenly morphed into a wild streak of contempt. Don't do anything rash? Hoo boy, was this cheeky monkey in for it! How dare he assume the role of hero in this story, not be honest with me and expect me to wait like a princess in an ivory American tower so that he could "set things right"?! Who did he think he was! I swear if the fumes coming out of my head were visible, the cabin crew might have suspected that there was an engine malfunction. Well if he loved me enough he should have trusted me with the truth, especially after I trusted him with everything! Was he that afraid I'd run away if I had known? I swore there and then that even if I was miles away from Japan, I'd do everything in my own capacity to get to the bottom of this, and find out what exactly this Shotaro's deal with my family was, and why he was helping my maternal grandmother. If Yuuichi wanted to set things straight on his own, I would do what I could till I saw him again, and then wrangle the truth out of him.</p><p>I disembarked onto American soil that day craving a serving of barbequed Yuuichi served with a side of fresh, unadulterated explanations; and even though I didn't want to admit it, a sprinkle of the warmth from the hug I would demand from him when I finally saw him again.</p><p>…</p><p>I had barely finished unpacking my suitcase before I heard a knock at my door, something that felt so familiar and foreign at the same time as I glanced around the room that I had called mine until around half a year ago. It was comforting to be home, to know that I was safe, and at the same time, I was troubled by the circumstances that I was here under. My doting grandparents had been uncharacteristically silent when they picked me up from the airport; it was clear that my parents had told them most of what had happened before I had landed; they gave me enough space to breathe reflect on the car ride back to their luxurious bungalow. At this thought, my reminiscing was brought to a halt as I saw my grandmother tentatively open my room door, and I stepped toward her before being whisked into a tight, welcoming hug.</p><p>"Etsu, come here," Julie-san swept me up in her arms as I nuzzled into her warm shoulder, "I missed you so much, how are you? How are my two little Kuons?"</p><p>"Obaasan, they're not little, and I'm sure my mother's name is Kyoko," I retorted adamantly, knowing that calling my beautiful, age-defying grandmother an 'Obaasan' would completely tick her off.</p><p>"I feel sick," my grandmother clutched at her chest, "my only grand-daughter just insinuated I was old – I'm not sure how long more I have to live – be still my trembling heart!"</p><p>"You are one brave girl Etsuko, calling my wife an Obaasan," Ojiisan appeared around the corridor with a smirk, then his smile faded a little. "Don't worry about your parents…how are you?"</p><p>"I'm fine…I mean…I'll be fine…I want to tell you everything Jiichan, Baachan…" my lips began trembling in a way I didn't want them to.</p><p>I wasn't sure what expression I was portraying, but it was easy for the grandparents that raised me to read right through any emotion I showed on my face. It was time to tell them everything that had happened when I was in Japan – everything that had plagued me from the time that an unknown caller looked for me at my own house, to the altercations with Sakura, the kindness of Aya Sempai and Hikaru at school, the way Lory-Ojisan and Jelly-san had believed in me – and most of all, the love that I had received from Yuuichi. But somehow, I couldn't find the words to say it, so I just clutched the shirt of my beloved Obaasan and cried, hoping that somehow as the tears poured out, so would all my fear and weakness. I swore I would tell them everything, even my joining LME. I didn't want to hide anymore – there was no use in hiding, and I was sick and tired of having the past, present and future being hidden from me. If there were consequences from simply being truthful, I was ready to bear the burdens – I was certain they would be less heavy a load than the secrets I was used to lugging around. I started to blabber, but Jiichan's arms simply encircled around Baachan and myself as he shushed me.</p><p>"You can tell us later, dear," Jiichan smiled tenderly, "you're still our brave girl, no matter what."</p>
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<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"And cut," Director Ogata beamed as we finished the last scene of the day. "Excellent job everyone, have a great weekend!"</p><p>I clapped alongside the rest of the crew, who like me, welcomed the respite from filming in the chilly breeze at the Santa Monica Pier. It had been three weeks since I had moved back in with my grandparents in their Hollywood home in Los Angeles, and although January in California was much warmer than Tokyo in general, being on site this whole fortnight of filming imbued me with newfound respect for both director Ogata and the entire crew who worked tirelessly to ensure that neither the strong gales nor shorter daylight hours ever compromised the quality of the scenes. The agenda today had been scenes with Kaitou and Sakura (that snake), where Kaitou's character brought Sakura's out for a date under the pretext of showing her around the waterfront, and the strong breezes were crucial in getting the whimsical shots that Director Ogata demanded. With only one week of filming left in Los Angeles for what was left of the total of six episodes, everyone was still incredibly professional even with Director Ogata's incessant demands – it was clear that they trusted his experience and skills to create a mini-series we would all be proud of.</p><p>It still felt like a dream, being able to work alongside such talent both on and off screen, with my only genuine worry being frantically tugging at my red wig to make sure it didn't pull a "gone with the wind" surprise on me in the middle of every other outdoor scene. I know for a fact that if my fake tresses ever pulled off a successful escape, I would immediately turn into a ninja reminisce of Okaasan's Momiji and parkour my way to a flawless retrieval of my hair, and after that, my dignity. As I turned away from my final, long gaze at the fading sunset, I caught a glimpse of Ogata-sensei's tired, yet satisfied smile, as he beckoned for me to come over to his seat behind the cameras, where Kaitou and Kichirou stood as well.</p><p>"Emily-san, I need you to work with the screenwriters this weekend and refine the scene in episode five where the brothers fight over Sakura," Director Ogata stated plainly, "I'm not satisfied with the intensity of emotion as it is now. Get both Kaitou and Kichirou to rehearse in front of you, and let me know the angles you think will be the best to film from. You have two days; I want to shoot this scene first thing on Monday at the boardwalk outside the hotel."</p><p>I glanced at my brothers, slightly dumbfounded, mouth subtly hanging open, and unsure if I heard Director Ogata right. Was I really expected to make decisions on such a crucial scene? Fortunately for me, my eldest brother was able to compensate for my temporary muteness.</p><p>"Director, what exactly do you require from the scene?" Kaitou's soothing baritone questioned gently.</p><p>"I need you two to fight like only brothers do," Director Ogata furrowed his eyebrows, and his expression changed to one of frustration, then worry; and suddenly out of nowhere; ultimate despair, complete with arms flailing around and tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes, and beginning to resemble an ethereal princess in abstract peril. "But I don't have a brother! I don't know how best they should fight! Please Emily, please help me bring out what you brought out in that music video with Yuuichi-kun!"</p><p>"O-ok Director, I'll try my best," I blinked and rushed to reassure him, surprised at his sudden change in demeanour from the firm director to fair skinned damsel-in-distress, "don't worry, I have brothers! I know how they fight, kind of."</p><p>"I don't know who you brothers are, but they definitely aren't as amazing as Kaitou and I," Kichirou smirked at me, as I nearly failed to suppress my inmost, deepest desire to get back at Kichirou with a snarky comment. "Don't worry director, we'll argue to the best of our abilities."</p><p>"Thank you both," Director Ogata held back a sniffle, "sometimes I still think that I'm no good as a Director, but somehow, it feels really comforting to have you two around. You look so much like your father, I'm so indebted to your parents for believing in me all those years ago."</p><p>Director Ogata was right, my brothers really did look like the almighty Tsuruga Ren, and I couldn't be more proud of how they had surpassed Otousan in their own ways. I wondered too, if my parents had seen this sensitive side of Director Ogata, and played a vital role in making him the confident, accomplished director he was today. For once, I realised, if I wasn't so caught up in my own inadequacies, I would be able to see the value of those around me, those whom I loved deeply. This thought made my heart immensely full, inducing a grin that made me forget that I was supposed to be in disguise.</p><p>"Director Ogata, we believe in you too!" I chirped out mindlessly like the absolute airhead I was at that moment, forgetting that I resembled Okaasan in her cutey-honey smile every time I smiled that way.</p><p>"Kyoko…chan..." Director Ogata started, and paused immediately after, sighed with a wan smile and shook his head, "sorry, I mean Emily-chan, thank you. I must be getting old, for a minute there I thought you looked exactly like Mogami Kyoko."</p><p>…</p><p>"Kaitou, Kichirou, you may begin."</p><p>I watched closely as my brothers released their emotions, doing their best to portray the emotions of hurt and jealousy between them through the lines given in the script, as I sat pensively on our grandparent's lawn chair. Ojiisan and Obaasan had agreed to let Kichirou and Kaitou use their private villa for practice today, after receiving instructions from Director Ogata to practice the day before. However, they had to come separately and discretely; since to the rest of the world, the Tsurugas had no formal relation to Kuu and Julie. I wondered if we would ever be a normal family, where I could be allowed to feel honoured about looking like my mother, but this thought was pushed to the back of my mind as I continued to watch my brothers lash out at one another. At this point in the script, Sakura would have already found out that they were twins, but wouldn't know that both liked her.</p><p>"How could you take her out! Sakura is an employee, it's not right!"</p><p>"Save that for yourself brother, I've seen the way you talk to her every morning when you come to work. I thought you didn't want to inherit Father's business, and suddenly, you're so interested in what the hotel staff do."</p><p>It was at this point I realised Director Ogata was right; the scene had to be more intense – not because they were fighting over Sakura, but because they had to play the part of being two perfect sons, and the stress of having to take over their Father's business one day, would all have to be shown in one emotional argument. To top it off, both were constantly compared to one another, being twins. Years of repressed feelings were demanded for this scene.</p><p>"Cut," I sighed and stood up from the lawn chair, my elder brothers turning towards me, a slightly disbelieving look etched on their faces. "NG. Kaitou, go get a drink from the kitchen and wait downstairs. Kichirou, follow me."</p><p>Kaitou shrugged his shoulders and followed my instructions, eyeing me curiously as I stepped into the house without another word. Although I never admitted it, there was always a nagging feeling in my heart when I watched Kichirou act, even when he was younger. This showed even more on talk shows and interviews, when he never let his smile fade, or when he always responded positively to fans. His acting had always been flawless, but then again, his devil-may-care attitude and suave looks always landed him safe roles in comedies, romances, or action films, where he'd never had a family conflict within an acting job before. If I had to pinpoint it, this brotherly spat was hitting a bit too close to home for Kichirou.</p><p>"What's wrong Etsu?" Kichirou's voice echoed as he followed me up the stairs.</p><p>"I need to separate the two of you for a bit. When's the last time you fought with Kaitou, for real?"</p><p>Kichirou looked slightly taken aback by my question, and told me he couldn't remember.</p><p>"Don't lie to me Kichi Niisan, you told me at the Happy Grateful Party that you did think about running away from it all," I ventured tentatively, hoping to provoke him. "Even if you've never verbalised your resentment, how many times have girls approached you, and you've realised they don't care whether it's you or Kaitou; all they want is bragging rights for having dated either of the Tsuruga brothers?"</p><p>I watched his face change, felt his eyes narrowing at me.</p><p>"Or trying to be a playboy, in order to differentiate yourself from Kaitou and Otousan, yet whatever you do, you can't run from their shadow? Did you ever tell Kai about having been compared to him?"</p><p>"We aren't like that," Kichirou spat out, "Etsu you know this, we're brothers. I'm not like that. Besides, I act because I want to."</p><p>"Kichirou, admit it – you act because people expect you to. Because that's all you know. You aren't truly happy, not with this business, not with the women you've been with," I was treading dangerous waters here, but I knew that I had to say it to Kichirou. "Having adventures and seeing the world, that's your passion. You want to go skydiving, you live for the thrills. I can't stop you from acting, but I know you're doing this because you don't want to disappoint your fans, or worse, our parents. That said, after this mini-series, you should think about what you truly want to do. Stop living in Kaitou's shadow, and start living for yourself."</p><p>Kichirou watched me, eyes glazed over and stunned into silence. It had been a bit harsh – and incredibly ironic – to tell my second brother that he wasn't being genuine with himself and his showbiz career, in order to make him put up a better performance for his showbiz career. Yet, I was convinced that I had hit the nail on the head. As I placed a hand on his frozen shoulder and simply left the room, I told Kichirou to find his own way back to the hotel, and then paced downstairs to deal with my eldest brother.</p><p>"Etsu, I have a feeling that you're going to manipulate my emotions," Kaitou leaned against the wall, his right hand holding a drink and his left hand tucked gingerly into his pocket. "I heard what you told Kichirou, and I've wanted to tell him something similar for some time, but probably in a much gentler, less gone-off-the-deep-end way."</p><p>"Kai, I have nothing to say to you, other than to just react to Kichirou and respond to his character on Monday." I sighed as I paced out of the front door, Kaitou following me, "don't contact him before that either. Could you drive me to the hotel? I want to do away with the script, I'll go see the screenwriters and Director Ogata now about that."</p><p>"Has anyone told you that you're scarier than Okaasan and Otousan combined?" Kaitou glanced at me warily as he started the engine of his rented car, "was it really necessary to say all that to Kichirou?"</p><p>I gazed back at our grandparent's house, and said something that I felt was for my own benefit, as much as Kaitou's.</p><p>"Remember that whatever Kichirou says to you when the scene starts, no matter how much it hurts, he still loves you."</p><p>…</p><p>After thanking the screenwriters for their time and apologising profusely for not using the script, I set out to survey the boardwalk outside the hotel and decide on where the cameras should be placed. Director Ogata had seemed a bit concerned about both brothers not having rehearsed the scene, but after a minute of pondering, and muttering under his breath that if they could achieve a Katsuki-level of adlib he'd be overjoyed, he approved of the scene. I had not understood his musings (I knew Otousan had played a 'Katsuki', but what was so special about it, other than him playing a glorified version of sonic-speed cat steps?), and was just glad that Director Ogata was giving Kichirou and Kaitou his trust.</p><p>As I paced further down the boardwalk, I wondered if I'd been a bit too harsh on Kichirou. It wasn't that he was terrible at acting, it was simply something he liked doing, rather than loved – but who was I to accuse him of being less than genuine? I had the least authority of all my family members to tell him that, and could only do it because I had in the past two months finally found my passion in the family business. Then again, I loved him, and if he wanted to continue acting even after he had thought it through, then I would have even greater respect for his decision.</p><p>After making a couple of mental notes for the frames that the boardwalk scene should have, the azure blue sea in the distance caught my eye, the late afternoon sunlight reflecting off the crystal waters. Before I knew it, my thoughts were filled with Yuuichi, his clear blue eyes and how he had kissed me so softly the evening he left. Where was he now? Did he know I was no longer in Tokyo? What did he mean when he said he would set things right? I squinted as the tears threatened to fall, and stared into the expanse of the ocean and the depth of sadness that I was simply drowning in.</p><p>Until a shrill, sharp voice cut straight through my reverie.</p><p>"Emiii-chaaan," I heard my pseudonym's vowels being dragged out like nails scratching against a chalkboard, as I prepared to fake interest in the ensuing conversation.</p><p>"Oh, hello Sakura, how are you?" I wasn't sure if she could hear the cringe in my voice, though I sure could.</p><p>"I'm totally fine," she beamed, "but Emi-chan, do you remember when you said you would help me get close to Kaitou-kun? I was hoping on Monday, since only Kichirou-kun has scenes in the afternoon, could you get Kaitou-kun to accompany me for half a day? Then you can have Kichirou-kun all to yourself for the afternoon! Win-win for us!"</p><p>I highly doubted that Kichirou wanted to spend an entire afternoon with the sibling who threw him into the depths of a brother-complex induced emotional turmoil, and neither would Kaitou want to accompany this delusional serpent, but I wasn't going to let Scheming Sakura in on my worries.</p><p>"Sure, I'll let him know, he'll get back to you," I deadpanned, hoping that she would just end the conversation and get her non-biodegradable, snooty nose out of my business.</p><p>"That's a good girl Emi-chan," Sakura grinned slyly, "I wonder why you're so obedient; oh that's right, because you wouldn't be here if it weren't for your connections."</p><p>Great Gatsby, she <em>was</em> looking for a fight.</p><p>"Akane-san, I'm playing this game with you because it amuses me, and Kichirou-kun. Do whatever pleases you, by all means, but don't you dare jeopardise the filming of this mini-series. Unless you are unprofessional enough to do so," I glowered at her.</p><p>"Well, Emi-chan, don't blame me if both the American and Japanese tabloids have your name splashed over them after the series is done. That would be professional, wouldn't it, to wait till next week, when filming is complete, before I release the juicy gossip that you're dating Kichirou to the press? Not like you have parents with the wealth to buy out the magazines like I do," Sakura scoffed and strolled off, her light coat fluttering against the ocean breeze, as I silently wished somehow that the gale would blow with all the force of a tornado, twisting and turning and teleporting this wicked witch of the West straight back to an accursed Kansas where she would have to prance for all eternity.</p><p>Now, on top of the guilt I was feeling for having blackmailed my second brother into forcibly thinking about his future, I felt even worse for having to make Kaitou tolerate Sakura's antics. I rubbed my temples, wondering if this roller coaster ride would be worth it, and if we'd all come out in once piece in the end. Would it ever be as easy as following the yellow brick road? Would I find my brain, heart and courage along the way?</p><p>More importantly, where was Yuuichi when I needed him the most?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Yes Hikaru, I'm fine…I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier about what happened. Yeah, Yuuichi he…just left. Maybe your dad could tell you more, I don't really know what occurred in their past. Yes, I'll take care of myself, bye."</p><p>My phone slipped silently from lifeless fingers as my body sank into the sheets. This room, which had held so many memories of my relatively cheerful and love-filled childhood, suddenly reminded me that the present was much less predictable than the past. Had I truly done something wrong pursuing the things I wanted, hanging on to Yuuichi even after he had been condemned by my parents? Chasing the job as a producer but disregarding Kichirou Oniisan's feelings? That phone call too, from Hikaru – he'd always cared for me as a little sister, but he always was the last to hear the news. His parting sentence, moreover, kept ringing in my mind.</p><p>"<em>I know you chose Yuuichi over me, but that doesn't mean you always have to choose loneliness."</em></p><p>After I had tossed and turned in bed for the umpteenth time, I found myself automatically sitting up, and retrieving my treasured cardboard shoebox. Taking out the letters from Jigglypuff, I tentatively reached for the last letter I received from him. Yes, the one that made me wonder what happened to that fluffy monstrosity of a pocket monster all those years back, when Yuuichi managed to scare me as I was trying to recall who Jigglypuff was on the apartment roof, and then revealing that he knew who my parents were. If there ever were a drama or script written about my life and its treacherous travails, that scene would probably be in chapter 12; and that story would definitely have a more interesting title than just my name. Such pretence, movies nowadays, being named after their characters – like "Logan". Or "Maleficent". You'd think authors would have more creativity.</p><p>I softly touched the edges of the last letter from Jigglypuff, sighing as I unfolded its creases.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Etsu,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Remember when I said that people are like pokemon? I think…I just got sent on a gym battle that I need to do, and I can't evolve until I get the badge. Evolution might be painful, and scary, and I don't think I will look and act the same after it, but I know I need to evolve to become stronger.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That's why I'm in Japan now. I'm going to set things right. And when I do, I'll come meet you, wherever you are. I won't write to you anymore, because I'll come meet you in person. And when that happens, I will be stronger than I am today. I may not be the Jigglypuff you know anymore, but I will always, always love the cheerful Etsu I know you will continue to be.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Stay strong for me, Pikachu.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yours forever,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jigglypuff.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>P.S.: Don't worry, my mom knows.</em>
</p><p>I couldn't believe that the exact same thing that had happened with Jigglypuff had happened with Yuuichi. Reading Jigglypuff's letter again and again, I felt my blood begin to boil like a bubbling pot of chicken stock, wondering if this kid was still out there, trying to be a better person, and would eventually come find me again. Maybe this mystery pokemon had already forgotten about these letters that we had exchanged, and had already found a new, pretty, female Jigglypuff to court, now that inter-species romances were still far from being common. Maybe he wasn't even straight – I mean, what kind of guy could write years of abstract, metaphysical manga-induced mush anyway. He was far from being the very best that anyone ever was, as far as I was concerned.</p><p>What really irked me though, was the fact that both of them wanted to "set things right", and expected me to simply dawdle around and rely on them. In fact, that haughty tone and those staccato-like sentences were so similar, they could well be the same damn person!</p><p>
  <em>They could well be the same damn person.</em>
</p><p>My torso could barely keep up with the rest of my externalities as my mental faculties tossed its highly unfit physical body out of the room, down the stairs like lorry wreckage on a freeway, and into my grandparent's well-maintained study. Flailing around, I somehow managed to turn on the lights, and made a beeline to where all my yearbooks and photos had been neatly filed away. I grabbed the one from my elementary school, and immediately scanned my class pictures from my third, fourth and fifth year. There was no one in my classes who looked remotely like Yuuichi, but my teacher's name of three years was clearly printed below the photo – Ms Shoko Aki.</p><p>Right then, my gaze swept to the picture of the class beside mine, where a rather flustered, chibi-Yuuichi sat pouting, fists on his knees and staring at the camera with piercing blue irises.</p><p>And on the adjacent page, chibi-Yuuichi again, holding up a glass trophy for a winning the school's singing contest, the same one that he'd tried to save while wreaking havoc in his own apartment.</p><p>My eyes widened to the size of saucers, no frisbees, complete with the flashing neon highlights that were on the glow-in-the-dark types, whirring around at colossal speeds in my mind. If they'd been the same person all along, then, Yuuichi – no, this blasted Jigglypuff – knew everything from the start! He'd already known who I was when came to school on the first day, and that's precisely why he'd known that he'd be able to gain my trust with his unearthly pokemon voice. He had been acutely aware of my fears of taking the limelight. I clutched at the pokeball pendant that I hadn't taken off since I left Tokyo, that had been hanging around my neck like a prayer. If only Yuuichi had told me all this sooner, that he knew that his dad was Fuwa Sho, and that he'd already been by my side when we were growing up. I wouldn't have faulted him, and it'd certainly help me understand what he so badly had to do to "set things right". There wouldn't be anything wrong!</p><p>Now the only thing that was wrong was that he wasn't by my side.</p><p>…</p><p>Thanking all the film gods in the history of film gods that I had a day off before filming resumed on Monday, I was now stomping up a stranger's lawn, gathering the courage to knock on a stranger's door. Well, Aki-sensei wasn't that much of a stranger, having taught me for three years in elementary school, but my lack of memories about her made me compelled to put on a brave front. Last night I had frantically called Hikaru again to see if his fierce-ass mom was still in contact with her old colleagues, and somehow, I'd managed to find my ex-teacher's address by the current afternoon.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I don't have chores you could do for spare cash," Aki-sensei started, and then paused for a moment as recognition flitted across her smooth features. "No way…Etsuko, is that you?"</p><p>"Hi Aki-sensei, it's been a while," I gave a tentative grin.</p><p>As she ushered me in, I realised that her home, although comfortable, showed signs of her simply having lived alone for a while. If my hunch was right and this brat Yuuichi left when we were twelve, it would mean that Aki-sensei would have been alone in America for at least five years already. I didn't know where to begin, or how to tell her that I had fallen in love with her son, and now, he had vanished without a trace and with my first fake <em>and</em> real kiss to boot. I decided to start with the physical evidence, since I couldn't rely on my own words to explain everything that had happened.</p><p>Bringing out the shoebox of letters from my satchel, I lay them in front of Aki-sensei, as I saw the nostalgia physically well up into tears in her bright eyes. She was a beauty herself, no wonder Yuuichi was so captivating.</p><p>"I met Yuuchi in Japan, but he didn't tell me he wrote me these letters," I began slowly, loading the music video we filmed on my phone and passing it to Aki-sensei. "He's an amazing singer, and I bet he got it from his father, Fuwa Sho."</p><p>I watched Aki-sensei's head lower as she bit her lip.</p><p>"But sensei, I love him, even though I know there's so much in the past that's keeping us apart," my voice wavered. "But what I was hoping you could tell me, was what Yuuichi wanted to do to 'set things right', because I honestly have no clue, even now."</p><p>"Etsuko, I know who your parents are, especially your mother," Aki-sensei sighed, looking wistfully into the distance. "Do you have the time to listen to my story?"</p><p>Nodding as I stared into her kind eyes, Aki-sensei started echoing the version of the past that I had heard from my parents – that Fuwa Sho, the singer under her care, had been deeply affected by Kyoko and her marriage with Tsuruga Ren. Sensei recounted how she came back to find more and more bottles of liquor lying in the studio or the apartment, especially after Kaitou and Kichirou were born. Sho really did love Kyoko, only, he was too late. And it was literally killing both him and his career.</p><p>Then, one night, Aki-sensei came back to find Sho, sobbing in his apartment, more empty bottles strewn around, with the fifth-year anniversary of Kyoko and Ren's marriage being broadcasted on the television. Aki-sensei's voice lowered at this point, saying that night, Sho called her Kyoko and kissed her – and then, her life was never the same again, because there was Yuuichi.</p><p>"I couldn't fault Sho, but neither could I tell him that his son was the result of a drunken night, and with a woman whom he had mistaken for the love he could never have. Maybe it was my fault too, I just couldn't abort the son of the man I had grown to love," Aki-sensei somehow managed a wan smile. "So, I left for America, to raise Yuuichi away from the Japanese press. More importantly, away from Sho, because I didn't want him to think that he was responsible."</p><p>"Sensei, no matter how you look at it, he was responsible!"</p><p>"I was older than both Kyoko and Sho, yet I was much less mature in that regard. But if Sho would never be able to love me, why stay anyway? Ultimately, that was my mistake. You know, Etsuko, Yuuichi was the one who saw you sitting alone at the playground and told me about it. That's why I made him write you those letters. And then, when he was ten, he showed me one of your letters and asked for advice. It was then I knew you had to be their daughter."</p><p>"Then, during the winter break when Yuuichi turned twelve, he saw me watching one of Sho's old MVs, named Prisoner, and just crying in front of the computer. He took one look at Sho and asked me, 'Kaasan, is that my father?' When I nodded, Yuuichi lost it. He's extremely protective that way, somehow, just like how Sho was protective of Kyoko. Seeing that in my own son hurt. I tried to tell Yuuichi that it wasn't his fault, neither was it Sho's fault, that Sho couldn't live with us."</p><p>"And he ran away to Tokyo to confront his father?" I guessed meekly.</p><p>"Yes, but not quite. Yuuichi was incredibly perceptive for his age, he asked me if Sho loved someone else, and not have any room in his heart for me. When I didn't say anything, he flew into a rage, telling me he would take revenge on my behalf. Yuuichi took one look at the screen, and watched speechless as the MV's Sho could not take his eyes off the tearing angel that was trying to push him from a tower."</p><p>Aki-sensei looked at me with a forlorn gaze, almost as if trying to tell me that I wouldn't like what came next, like a warning that my heart was about to be flung off the cliffs of betrayal into the depths of hell, all seven levels of it.</p><p>"And when the credits rolled, Yuuichi swore that he would tear that Kyoko and her happy family apart."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The cool evening chill surrounded me as I started a futile endeavour of counting the stars, wondering if by any remote, possible chance, I could figure out where the universe altogether ended and began, I might possibly have an inkling of what was actually going on in my own life. Or, I could just jump into another timeline in the multiverse, one where Yuuichi and I were together. But I couldn't, and the dark expanse of ethereal canvas seemed to stare at me blankly; the distant twinkling stars oblivious to both my cruel fate and my sordid, broken heart. The patio chair squeaked its response of steel and malleable fabric as the timeless beauty I called Grandmother Julie sat next to me, handing me a steaming cup of hot chocolate, foaming at the top – much like the way I had crawled home, slumped on the front porch, frothing from my slack-jawed mouth.</p><p>"Etsuko, I'll have you know that something isn't adding up, of all my years of seeing love gained and lost," Obaasan began as she sipped the chocolate mix from her own mug.</p><p>"Baachan, it's either that Yuuichi was telling the truth, or he made me into a tool of his revenge."</p><p>"Ungrateful granddaughter; for the last time, its Julie Oneechan for you, not Baachan," her accusatory crystal-clear eyes showed anger, yet held a glint of amusement.</p><p>"You're still the most beautiful woman I know," I giggled a little bit.</p><p>"At least you got that right," Julie 'Oneechan' lovingly stroked the top of my frizzy yellow head. "Drink your hot chocolate, it'll make you feel better."</p><p>I sighed, discretely trying to make out what was in the cup other than just chocolate with my sense of smell. Julie Baachan was still at it, making food and beverages that weren't completely safe for consumption and forcing it on us. Like Kuu Ojii-san though, my stomach had already evolved into an ultimate, cast iron state. Now if only my heart could be steeled into the same metal, encased in protective layers that would make it unable to sustain anymore injury from anything else, unable to bleed me dry. Maybe like the Maui Omurice that Otousan ate once in a while, this pseudo hot chocolate would be my protection rather than my poison, that would enable me to bounce right back up again, stronger than before. Maybe, like Yuuichi, I needed to evolve too, and into something more than a Raichu. I closed my eyes, willed my tongue into tasting nothing but chocolate, and took one long swig of the molten liquid before falling into a comfortable silence with my grandmother.</p><p>"What I'm trying to say, my dearest Etsu, is that Yuuichi gave you a choice. He didn't want to burden you with his past when you already had yours to deal with."</p><p>I pondered over the thought.</p><p>"So…you don't think he was using me for revenge?" There was hope in my heart, and the said organ was gathering its broken pieces; preparing to lurch out of my chest.</p><p>"If he really wanted to, he'd draw you away from your family and be the ultimate homewrecker," Baachan tapped me gently on the head. "You're already all starry-eyed for him. The best revenge plot would be to turn you against your parents and elope; but look – he took the fall instead and left so that you weren't forced to make the painful decision to drive him away, and so that there would be no reason why your parents would harbour any resentment against you for not letting them know earlier. He took on most of the pain so that you'd only be upset that he left."</p><p>"I still don't understand. If Yuuichi knew that I would have to find out anyway, why wouldn't he just tell me earlier? I would have loved him anyway, we could figure things out from there. Otousan and Okaasan aren't unreasonable. Why won't he let me be by his side?"</p><p>"When your father left for Japan on his own, he was even younger than you were. But he knew that it was something he had to overcome alone. He didn't even let Kuu or myself into his head then, and I'm not even sure that what he was brooding over was ever resolved. However, though he just left with Lory the kidnapper-kun, without a word; never once did he stop trusting us or loving us. Even when Kyoko thawed out his cold heart, he couldn't tell her for the longest time," Baachan's hand settled lightly on my shoulder, her soft voice echoing in my ears. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say this Yuuichi genuinely loves you, and he'll find you when he's ready."</p><p>"If Yuuichi loved me, then; could he not trust me?" I breathed out, looking into grandmother's beautiful eyes as I could feel tears gathering in my own.</p><p>Julie Obaachan reached out, set down our mugs and pulled me into a warm hug.</p><p>"That's something for you to ask him yourself, Etsuko."</p><p>…</p><p>"Places everyone, Director Ogata wants the cameras rolling in five minutes!"</p><p>The hustle and bustle on set was magnified tenfold as crew jostled one another to make sure that the costumes, make-up, and background on the boardwalk was perfect for the would-be argument – the climax of the relationship between the brothers. Everyone had heard about how the rookie producer Emily Hart had decided that the scene should be adlibbed, and there was a general sense of nervousness that I had made that call. Yet, as the real brothers (<em>my </em>real brothers) entered their trailers separately this morning, there were tepid waters between Kichirou and Kaitou – with Kaitou having the Mogami River etched on his forehead in clear and visible worry, and Kichirou's expression well steeped for two days in indignance and hurt. It was clear that they'd both simmered in the thought of carrying on a "family business" over the weekend, now the only part that required acting from them was to translate reality onto the film reels.</p><p>But there was something additional that I felt would elevate the scene, and raise the bar of the mini-series altogether, if I proposed something without my brothers' knowledge. As the crew hurried on set, I approached Director Ogata, and in hushed tones, I calmly laid out my idea. Director Ogata's expression changed from one of shock into one that slowly but surely piqued his interest.</p><p>"Emily-chan, are you sure?"</p><p>"I believe they will pull it off Director, both the Tsuruga brothers and Sakura," nodding my head resolutely. "She's been briefed and is ready too."</p><p>"I hope your gamble pays off, Emily," Director Ogata looked at me pointedly.</p><p>As I nodded once again in affirmation, my heart raced as I lingered behind the camera. I watched in trepidation and awe as Kaitou and Kichirou, professionals as they were, took their spots underneath the lights with weary expressions and waited for Director Ogata to give them the cue to begin.</p><p>"Episode 5, scene 4, ACTION."</p><p>The brothers stared daggers at each other in an intense silence, each one goading the other to lash out first.</p><p>"I hate you," Kichirou spat out, breaking the silence, but not once turning his eyes away from Kaitou. "What, we don't just have to share the same face, but you have to take the woman I love as well?"</p><p>"What?" Kaitou's worry morphed into a scoff. "Please brother, you've always been jealous that Dad trusted me with the business more than he relied on you, and that's because you don't give a rat's ass about the family, or the success of the hotel. You're selfish, that's what you are, and you're blaming me for winning Sakura over because you don't want to blame yourself. She needs someone to give her stability, someone to take care of her."</p><p>"And that's exactly what's wrong with YOU! You're taking care of Father. You're taking care of family. That's bloody fantastic, because Sakura needs someone to LOVE her and give her freedom, not just 'to be taken care of'. She's not a business, brother, she's a woman with her own mind!"</p><p>Kaitou fell silent, fists clenching and unclenching as Kichirou continued.</p><p>"Face it, you love her not for who she is – you saw a beautiful hotel manager, and you're after her because you think she will make the perfect wife FOR THE BUSINESS," it was at this point that Kichirou strode up to his brother and grabbed him by the collar, nearly shaking him such that his teeth rattled.</p><p>"You think I want this? The second you walk out that door on this family, on this hotel, Sakura won't even give you a second look. Inheritors of the hotel, that's who we're meant to be, and Sakura loves her job! If you're not going to step up and be who you're supposed to be, I'll provide for her and her happiness, and you won't have any part in it!"</p><p>A split second before they came to blows, Sakura appeared on the boardwalk in front of the brothers, tears streaming down her face, as she whimpered the words I had whispered to her moments earlier straight to Kaitou's face.</p><p>"I thought you loved me."</p><p>"I do love you," Kaitou replied, thrusting Kichirou away with a hard shove. "I want you to be a part of my life, a part of this family!"</p><p>"No, you want me to be a part of your family <em>business</em>," Sakura shook her head, lips trembling in a frown as she stepped back slowly. "Tell me, if I stopped loving this hotel; if I stopped loving my job – would you stop loving me?"</p><p>Kaitou was stunned into silence a second time as Sakura searched his face for an answer.</p><p>"I knew it."</p><p>As Sakura turned tail and ran off-camera, Kichirou yanked his brother for a second time, delivered a mind-numbing punch to Kaitou's cheek, then chased after the actress; leaving a stunned, physically and emotionally pained Kaitou alone in the scene, crouched on the boardwalk, with regret painted all over his visage.</p><p>"And CUT. Wait for my instructions."</p><p>Director Ogata's voice rang out in the silence as the crew gingerly touched up make-up, lighting, and other paraphernalia. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I made haste back to Director Ogata's side, looking at him in anticipation. Director Ogata, however, was sitting perfectly still in his chair, staring at the part of the boardwalk where the scene had just transpired, and all I could do was watch him curiously as cold sweat began to drip down his forehead, before he broke out into a visible shiver.</p><p>"Director, are you okay?" I gingerly began, with a few more co-workers coming nearer to Director Ogata with worry in their eyes.</p><p>"It's…s-so good…I'm getting the chills…h-haven't felt li-like this in a long time," Director Ogata managed a weak, but bold grin. "Great j-job, Emily-chan."</p><p>…</p><p>After shooting a few more scenes for the day, I remembered the agreement I had made with that talented snake of an actress that Kaitou would spend the afternoon off with her, and decided I would break the news to him after he was done for the morning. It was with that thought in mind that I found myself beneath Kichirou's trailer, as I stealthily opened the door and snuck inside, though apparently, my ninja skills were less well-honed than I thought they were.</p><p>"Etsuko," Kichirou began pointedly, not even skipping a beat.</p><p>"Tsuruga-san, I'm not sure who's that."</p><p>"Sorry, Emily," Kichirou sighed and shook his head with a wan smile, "how can I help you?"</p><p>"Are you alright? I was the one who made that scene a…demanding one for you."</p><p>I could sense Kichirou's unspoken feelings in the air as he folded his arms, stared out the window at Kaitou's trailer, and then repeatedly crossed and uncrossed his legs till he found the nerve to look at me again.</p><p>"I'm terrified, actually," Kichirou paused, "because I meant every word I said to Kai Nii-san."</p><p>"For what it's worth, I think he meant what he said to you too," my palm cupped my forehead in resignation, as my eyes were drawn in the direction of Kaitou's trailer as well, watching as our eldest brother left the trailer to shoot his final scenes for the day.</p><p>I looked on as Kichirou nodded in agreement. We didn't have to say it, but we knew that if Kichirou ever left acting to pursue other interests, then Kaitou would truly be alone among the stars – showbiz was empty if the people you loved weren't working alongside you. Kaitou would literally be losing his family in the business, and carrying the double burden of having to, by his strength alone, live up to the title of the Son of Tsuruga Ren and Mogami Kyoko, actors extraordinaire. If we all stayed in this line, to Kaitou, it would be like he had succeeded as the oldest sibling in keeping us united, stable, supported. He would have succeeded in making sure the family name kept going strong. He would have succeeded in taking care of us.</p><p>"It seems that Kaitou has been carrying a huge weight on his shoulders as well, hasn't he?"</p><p>"Yes," I sighed wistfully, wondering how the both of us would face him in the future, "yes he has."</p><p>
  <em>Just like you and me.</em>
</p>
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<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Am I the only one who finds the idea of a "work party" incredibly ironic?</p><p>The pounding music reverberated throughout the club, nearly making my head spin. It was a surprise that Emily Hart had been let into the establishment at all – I definitely looked a little too young to be allowed in, but the whole place had been booked solid to congratulate the crew for having concluded an entire month of filming, and these blasted LA beefcakes of bouncers had done the bare minimum of ID checks before I was dragged in with the rest of the filming team. With my blazing red locks and auburn pumps that Jelly had set aside for "nicer occasions", I hoped I resembled a regular patron at the nightclub, though my subconscious emblazoned the title of "Hizuri the Hooker" in my head.</p><p>Bonding over drinks and celebration is understandable, but I doubted that any actual storyboarding would get done on the dance floor, though I looked forward to seeing how my seasoned brothers "worked" these office get-togethers. Well maybe not Kichirou, who was slightly cheesed off that he couldn't flirt with any women, as we had to keep up the image that we were somewhat of a ragtag couple for Sakura's viewing pleasure. Then again, I wouldn't let him spoil my night – my second brother had still been keeping mum about whether my emotional blackmail had worked to make him leave the business to do what he really wanted. At least it seemed he'd forgiven me for the most part.</p><p>The production staff now recognised me as more than a rookie with a lucky break, having pulled off a successful gamble in pushing Sakura into the argument scene without anyone's knowledge other than Director Ogata's. The reservations I felt about letting loose among LME employees, albeit co-workers I cared for, was still an idea that I should be avoiding lest someone figured out who I was or could be. But there was something within me that was beginning to believe that my identity wasn't set in stone. There was a longing to be known as more than Etsuko Hizuri, daughter of Mogami Kyoko or Tsuruga Ren; to be recognised as someone different. Much like how my brothers had fought their own battles to be recognised as different from our parents.</p><p>That task, however, was a bit difficult to do as blinding strobe lights resembling lightsabers spun around the room, a kaleidoscope of stars bursting in front my eyes, as I rued the fact that I had willingly entered an intergalactic battle. I barely heard the voices around me as looked around for my brothers in desperate need of guidance or at least a reference of appropriate social cues. Like a newly born foal who'd just fallen out of a womb head first, my knees buckled as I stumbled over my heels, then grabbing a barstool for support. I was a baby horse disguised as a red-furred Chewbacca in the control room of an imploding Death Star. Go figure.</p><p>"Emily? The bartender asked if you wanted the Sangria or the Mojito," one of the production staff giggled at my side as she was whisked away by the other ladies to the dance floor.</p><p>"She'll have a ginger ale," I heard Kaitou's no-nonsense, deep baritone echoing from behind me, cutting through the din of stormtroopers (or what others would refer to as techno beats) in the club, right before I could answer.</p><p>"Kai, I can handle it; metabolism from Kuu remember?" I was tempted to roll my eyes, but I knew that Kaitou was simply looking out for me.</p><p>"You are handling anything but alcohol tonight, young lady. Metabolism from Kuu also means you'd get drunk <em>faster</em> than the average person. Besides, we must talk about how your classmate tried a bunch of tricks on me on Monday afternoon," Kaitou's eyes narrowed as he looked at the baby-pony-Chewbacca seated on the barstool.</p><p>"What, Sakura's a magician?" I chuckled as I received my ginger ale from the bartender, sipping it gratefully.</p><p>"Let's just say I don't fancy jailbait. Or perhaps, I'm not as easy as the men she's come across – although, if she is your age, I don't think she should be allowed to come across any men at all."</p><p>"Eww. Gross."</p><p>"I know right," my eldest brother uncharacteristically made the same disgusted face as the one I had on, and for the first time that night, I burst into genuine peals of laughter. "Maybe I really am gay. Maybe this has turned me gay for good."</p><p>"Imagine Megumi Kotone-san kissing another guy. Anger level out of 10?"</p><p>"532," Kaitou answered with a frown, "guess I'm straight again, huh."</p><p>"Congratulations and celebrations! Let me buy you a drink to toast the confirmation of your sexuality!"</p><p>"Etsu, it's an open bar. Also, let either myself or Kichirou know when you're heading home," Kaitou whispered into my ear, wary of anyone who could be listening, yet knowing that the club was noisy enough to provide adequate cover, then pulled away.</p><p>"Can do, Tsu-ru-ga-san."</p><p>"It's been an honour to work with you Emily, you've got a keen eye for a producer. Somehow, I feel strangely proud of you too."</p><p>I grinned cheerily as Tsuruga Kaitou left with a genuine smile on his face, like a suave Jedi who was one with the force, completely knocking all the women off their feet as he barely passed them.</p><p>…</p><p>It was nearing midnight when I checked my handphone again, knowing it was about time to flag a cab and head home. Though I had originally feared that the night would be a dreadful one, I found myself putting aside my reservations as I got to know the production staff better, and I was grateful for the opportunity. Amidst the laughter of my colleagues, I spotted Sakura with a man who'd been an extra on the cast, and anyone could see the intention in his glassy eyes a mile away. As she sat at the bar and ordered a drink, she turned around to face the man, who put his arms around her; and in a split second, slipped something into her new glass, away from the bartender's gaze.</p><p>But not mine.</p><p>I said a hasty goodbye and blurted a half-formulated excuse to the production crew, before stalking up to the bar, and yanking Sakura by the arm away from this unscrupulous excuse for a human being. Blood boiled in my veins as he grabbed her free hand, drawling an upset 'babe where are you going', as I simply unleashed Mio v2.0 and nearly stopped myself from tearing a new one through his grimy face. I didn't stop dragging Sakura away till we were both out of the nightclub, with the snake threatening to go timber on the concrete sidewalk.</p><p>"Emi-chaaaan," she made three syllables sound like six as she whined, "let go! What's wrong with you! He said he'd show me a good time!"</p><p>"I don't like you, but I've been saved from rape once, and now I'm saving your ass. Be grateful," I took a deep breath of the fresh air, glad to be inhaling something much cleaner than second-hand smoke for the first time that evening. "That douche slipped something into your drink just before I came over."</p><p>I heard a sudden whimper, and it wasn't coming from me. As I turned to look at Sakura, I realised her eyes had welled up with tears, as her entire svelte frame threatened to falter on the sidewalk. Catching her by the waist as her body swayed, I was thankful she was slightly more than tipsy rather than deadbeat drunk, and could walk by herself to the nearest bench. The moment she sat down, however, she began bawling hysterically. If this had been any other situation, one where I'd seen Sakura cave in high school, I'd have been filled with a sense of triumph. But after I'd seen her act, and pretty darn well to boot, seeing her cry made me pity her instead. Maybe she was just a crying drunk. I sat in silence next to her, passed her a packet of tissues from my clutch, and waited for her earth-shaking weeping to come to a sniffle.</p><p>"I just want to be loved," Sakura's voice cracked, "nobody loves me. Father's too busy running his hotel, Mother just wants to use me. NOBODY CARES!"</p><p>"Umm," I stammered, not sure how to handle her outburst, "I'm sure that's not true –"</p><p>"Nobody cares. They dumped me in Japan when it was convenient. Father used me in this drama when it benefits him. They don't care what I feel. I'm just a tool to them."</p><p>I remained silent, not wanting to get cut off mid-sentence with the girl I had already branded as my mortal enemy, the devil spawn of the ultimate boss fight on the final level of every video game combined.</p><p>"Emi-chan, you know what?" Sakura began to hiccup, threatening to cry again, "Yuuichi doesn't like me, not even after I offered him fame and money when I found out he wanted to break into the music industry, before he debuted and you went and made him all famous. And Tsuruga-san completely rejected me on Monday. I hate you, I hate that you're able to talk to both of them. I don't even like Tsuruga-san. He's so cold, and stiff, no idea what Mother wanted me to do with him. Maybe she'd just love me more if I did win him over, but who cares, I'm never going to find out."</p><p>I stiffened in my seat, watching as information I wasn't sure I was privy to tumbled from her lips.</p><p>"I don't know what's going on in your family, but I know you're actually a great actress."</p><p>"You think so?" Sakura sniffed.</p><p>"Maybe somewhere in there you aren't a terrible person as well," I mumbled, but her hearing was sharp for a crazy teenager who'd downed at least five shots that night.</p><p>"Emi-chaaaan, I'm not a terrible person! I don't even bully this stupid girl Etsuko from my high school on purpose, although she gets on my nerves; totally unfair that she's naturally beautiful and blonde and all; it's just my mother seems so interested and curious and why can't she just love me for who I am once in my life! Is that too hard to ask?"</p><p>I became a complete statue, wondering what in the world had possessed Sakura to the extent that she was spouting out blatant falsities, as I prayed hard that she wouldn't recognise me under the make-up and the wig. I must have prayed to the right God, as she continued rambling.</p><p>"I won't even spread those pictures with you and Kichirou-kun, I know he's just playing around with you like he does with all the other women anyway. You saved me tonight, I'll find some other way to please Mother that doesn't involve you. But…I'm just so sick and tired. All I want is to act! Could you get me another job? You're not a bad producer either. Ask Director Ogata for me, please?"</p><p>Stunned into silence, I couldn't comprehend what Sakura had just said. It went from confusing to utterly confounding. What was wrong with this girl and how screwed up was her family? Also, what did she mean she didn't bully me on purpose! She was either a pathetic liar, or a terrific actress. Not actually able to decide between the two possibilities, I answered her on a topic that hopefully wasn't the biggest landmine, and work from there.</p><p>"I can see what's available back home, I guess. But aren't there jobs already lined up for you?"</p><p>"Father and Mother don't approve of me working, unless it makes them look good. Or in this case, Mother approved because I would know the Tsurugas. I don't understand. Why doesn't she care how I feel at all?"</p><p>Her tears fell afresh and I just couldn't comprehend what was going on, only that it was late, she was out of it, and if her word was anything to go by, my brothers and I had nothing to worry about from Sakura any longer. Suddenly, the alcohol seemed to kick in after her second bout of bawling, her energy sapped and her eyelids drooping as I called for a taxi. When it came, I helped her as she stumbled into the cab. As I mentioned the name of the hotel, Sakura suddenly began shaking her head in protest.</p><p>"No, the hotel staff can't see me like this. They'll talk. Take me home."</p><p>"You have a home in California?" I wasn't sure why I was surprised, she was a rich heiress ala Paris Hilton anyway.</p><p>"Yeah, Mom grew up here," She muttered as she passed me her phone, behaving as if a migraine had whacked the living daylights out of her as she somehow managed to totter even as she was seated, sprawled in the backseat, her hand over her face. "Address is saved in the notes. Help me text my Mom. Tell her I'm coming home, don't need the chauffeur."</p><p>I gingerly followed Sakura's instructions, and would ponder how her childhood must have been like having something like her chauffeur later, but at that moment there was something more pressing at hand. I couldn't find a number saved under "Mom", "Mother", "Okaasan"; name any iteration of it, it wasn't in her address book. I relayed this information to her, shaking her a bit before she could knock out completely, hoping to get an answer.</p><p>"What's her number saved as?"</p><p>"Her name."</p><p>"Sakura, what's her name?"</p><p>"Tina," Sakura breathed, "Mom's name is Tina."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn't easy to concentrate, even though it was the last meeting that Director Ogata was having with the production team to formally wrap up the filming segment. Struggling to catch all the key dates for post-production that I could while they mostly flew over my head, it was unfortunate that the bulk of processing power in my cortex had currently been channelled to an issue far more pertinent. After Sakura had stumbled out of the taxi into her mansion of a home, I had the cab driver take me right back to the club, where I'd demanded that both Kichirou and Kaitou take me home before I divulged this information to both brothers and my grandparents.</p><p>Who the heck was Sakura's mom, Tina; and what did this lunatic of a woman even want? Was she an out-of-control stalker perhaps; yet how would she know about me, or more specifically, Etsuko? As much as my grandparents, brothers and I combined our cerebral efforts, we couldn't understand what was truly transpiring, and I clocked barely three full hours of fitful rest before hauling my sleep-deprived body to this current meeting. Safe to say, I fulfilled my physical attendance as Emily Hart, junior producer; but my mind had completely checked out from the ongoing conversation.</p><p>"Emily-chan? Is that okay?"</p><p>Emily who? Emily me? Was what okay? The fact that this life of mine was getting stranger and stranger? Or that my 24 multiple personalities and myriad of secrets were finally taking its toll on my soul? My eyes glanced around the room, bouncing from one acclaimed main producer to the next, and realised they were still waiting for an answer from what was left of my fractured sanity.</p><p>"Yes Director, that's…okay!"</p><p>"Great! The artiste will land in the LA International Airport this evening, when the main team will meet him to discuss some of the finer details before our flight back to Tokyo. Emily, since you're staying on, you'll have the secondary film crew with you here to record the rest of the scenes for the opening and ending songs. I will be sending you a general list of all the shots we need, and if you have any ideas you want to try, go ahead; as long as we can send the footage to post-production by the end of this week," Director Ogata smiled at me as he stood up from his chair, effectively signalling the end of the meeting.</p><p>As the production team speedily filed out of the hotel's conference room to enjoy their final day in the city of angels, Director Ogata gave me a pat on the back, and turned around to talk to me when the others had left.</p><p>"I'm surprised President Lory asked you to stay behind to film, we thought we would just have the opening and ending songs edited together with our current promo materials," Director Ogata had a kind look on his face, "sorry to trouble you with more work, you've already done so much."</p><p>"Director, I'm grateful actually, it means I get to spend more time with family here," I managed to respond more light-heartedly than I truly felt.</p><p>"I'd love to have you around in Tokyo to observe the post-production process, but of course there's no other obligations. I'm just counting on you to do an excellent job this week."</p><p>"I will, thanks Director," I squeezed out a cheery tone, and watched as the door of the meeting room gradually closed shut.</p><p>Gathering up my files and the suggested storyboards for the opening and ending music videos, I realised that I had zoned out the entire meeting, and hadn't even gotten the name of the artiste that I would be working with. Shrugging it off and rationalising that I would find out later anyway, I decided I would head home to rest before I had to meet the artiste of the song tonight, and start preparing for filming in the week ahead. Besides, if President Lory had arranged it, it would probably be someone professional from LME, someone Emily Hart would be thrilled to meet. Etsuko, on the other hand, was reaching her limit for just about any more surprises in her life. It was like the past two months had been a giant, unwarranted kinder egg that lacked an expiry date, and the chocolate to boot.</p><p>As I walked down the corridor of the business centre of the hotel leading to the lift lobby, my phone began vibrating incessantly, still in silent mode from the meeting before. Although there was no caller ID, I picked up anyway, knowing that it could be anyone from work with a private number.</p><p>"Hello?"</p><p>"Hello? Is that Ms Emily Hart? This is Tsuruga-san."</p><p>I stopped dead in my tracks. Emily Hart only knew two different Tsuruga-sans, and this voice didn't belong to either of them. Etsuko, on the other hand, could place this tenor even if she heard it in a crowd.</p><p>"Pardon me, you must be surprised – this is Tsuruga Ren. I've heard a lot about you from my father."</p><p>Kuu-Ojiisan? Was Otousan calling me just to tell me he knew about my cover and my work in LME? But why in the world would he address me as Emily and not Etsuko? His tone wasn't a jovial one, neither was it one that was about to bust my sorry derriere. He sounded urgent, and strangely desperate.</p><p>"Otou-"</p><p>"Yes, I do call him Otousan, although I prefer the English way of calling him 'Dad'. Listen Emily, are you alone?"</p><p>"Yes…Tsuruga-san?"</p><p>"Good. Just listen. Don't go home today, or for the rest of this week. Stay in the hotel. Boss has already prepared everything. Kyoko and I know about it."</p><p>"Wha…what's going on?"</p><p>"I'm not completely sure either, some peculiar rumour about me having a daughter," my father's voice lowered as he continued. "Knowing my past, if I even had a daughter, <em>she's not safe</em>."</p><p>As I slumped down in a plush chair along the silent hotel walkway, the brevity of his last sentence washed over me, as words failed to come out of my mouth. I wasn't safe because of his past? Thankfully, Otousan continued to do the talking.</p><p>"I'm looking forward to working with you in the future Emily. That's such a nice name, I'm sure you don't have to use a Japanese name even if you break on the scene in LME. You should use that name <em>all the time</em>. Promise me you will take care of yourself?"</p><p>"Yes, I…I…promise."</p><p>"Don't worry if I don't contact you. I'll be in touch when I can," Otousan's tone softened from one that hurried to dish out instructions, to one that had a wistful longing lodged within it. "Maybe to direct another mini-series. You <em>are</em> very talented, I'm sure your parents are proud of you."</p><p>Wait, Otousan and Okaasan knew that I was working with Director Ogata? And they were proud of me?</p><p>"I…I hope they are. And – I'm also sorry I didn't tell them earlier."</p><p>"There's no need to apologise. They understand; I… understand," I clutched my phone a little tighter to my ear as I could clearly make out Otousan's wan smile at the other end of the line as he continued. "Remember to call Boss if anything happens. Stay safe, Miss Hart."</p><p>"Thank you. Goodbye, Tsuruga-san."</p><p>As the line went dead, I willed myself to drag my ragdoll body up from the plush hallway chair, resisting the urge to curl into a foetal position and ponder every single question that had been swirling in my mind while bawling my heart out. If Otousan had to call so urgently, warning me against going home to Kuu Jiichan and Julie Baachan, it was unlikely that I would see my brothers before they left for Japan. Ever since I returned to the land of the free, I had not been left to my own devices – my loving grandparents and brothers had dutifully watched over me. But now, because of some perilous circumstance that I couldn't be privy to, I would be left to my own devices for now – or at least till the end of the week.</p><p>For a first time in a long time, I was truly alone.</p><p>…</p><p>I paced gingerly around the luxurious suite that afternoon, my new home-away-from-home for the next week, while waiting for my luggage to be sent to the hotel from my grandparent's place. Apparently even though Otousan – or Tsuruga Ren, as Emily Hart now had the pleasure of knowing – had been worried sick about me for some strange reason, they still thought it would be safer for me to stay in the hotel under the guise of having to finish up filming for the mini-series' OST tracks, and for me to follow the secondary film crew home to Japan immediately after. Why President Lory had chosen a suite to house this small fry of a junior producer, instead of a normal hotel room was beyond me, but I was done questioning the most eccentric being in the universe. Besides, I had other convoluted things to think about.</p><p>After I had explored the entirety of the 2-bedroom suite, ate everything in the poorly stocked mini-bar, and fawned over the baby grand piano (before plonking out a zooming rendition of "cat-steps", which Otousan had taught me with mirth in his eyes), I waddled to the swanky clear floor-to-ceiling windows, which gave an amazing view of the stretch of Hollywood from 20 storeys up. In light of the perplexing and ever-changing developments in this whacked out life of mine, I firmly believed that it warranted some forlorn and contemplative staring out of these glass panes.</p><p>And so began round one.</p><p>The first question that had still been bouncing around in my head – who was this Tina, and how was Otousan, Ojiisan and Obaasan involved? There had to be a reason that I could not be seen with my grandparents, and an even more important rationale behind why Kuu Ojiisan had felt the need to spill the beans about Emily Hart, and her involvement in the production of Director Ogata's mini-series, to Otousan. And that wasn't even the most shocking part – Otousan hadn't even bat an eyelid at the fact that I tried to make my own break into the spotlight, years after they said they wanted me to have a choice, and that they wanted to protect me from the blinding lights of fame and stardom.</p><p>The fact that Otousan had spoken to me so cryptically, emphasising that I was <em>not</em> <em>safe</em> here, chilled me to the bone. I had heard enough about Okaasan's memories, with this Fuwa Sho and even from Yuuichi's own mother, but what was the extent of this hidden past that Otousan had that affected the present nearly 20 years later? There was a nagging feeling that it was something much more worrisome than having Sho kidnap my brothers and return them at the end of the day.</p><p>That led my mind straight to round two.</p><p>If I wasn't safe in Japan, where my parents had hurriedly shipped me out of for fear of Kidnapper-Kun version 2.0; and I wasn't safe in California, where would I go after the filming was over? Would going home to Japan, and to continue being "Emily Hart of LME" really be the safer choice? I wanted to use this persona as an avenue where I could freely express myself, where I could give the actors and entertainers in showbiz wings to fly, without having to worry about upholding the Tsuruga or Hizuri dynasty – but what would it all mean if I had to deny the fact that Etsuko Hizuri ever existed? That life would be no life at all, and I detested the thought of having to live the rest of my life in hiding, without actually knowing what I was hiding from, or what was so dangerous anyway.</p><p>And finally, my thoughts drifted to round three.</p><p>It had been a whole month. One whole month since Yuuichi left his own cryptic letter, telling me not to do anything rash, telling me he would set things straight. One whole, agonising month trying to forget his breath against my cheek, his forehead against mine; one month where I had intermittent dreams of myself wrapped safe in his arms, then waking up with tears, to the realisation that his steady, calming presence in my life since I returned to Japan was now a thing of the past. One whole month, in which I confirmed that Yuuichi's letters were what got me through my own perturbed childhood. And here I was, alone again, this time without even the rest of my family, lest they put me in jeopardy.</p><p>At the start of this one month, all I wanted were answers. But I didn't want answers anymore, I just wanted Yuuichi back. The more I wrapped my head around it, and why we were apart, it seemed more and more like Yuuichi and I both were caught in an elaborate web that neither of us asked for, with histories that bled into and enslaved our present lives. What incredulous storyline was this, that I had to live out as my reality?</p><p>What great sin of the past was my generation paying for?</p><p>…</p><p>As the beginnings of magenta twilight chased the streaks of sunset around the canvas of the sky, the shrill sound of my phone blaring out the theme song to teen titans (yes, the Puffy AmiYumi one, don't judge, my brothers told me to change my ringtone) shook me out of my pensive mood.</p><p>"Emily-san, heard you are still at the hotel," the executive producer in charge of the secondary film team huffed into the phone. "Could you pick up the artiste from the lobby and bring him to the hotel conference room? I've gotten word that he's already arrived and checked in. I'll be back in 20 minutes, and we'll run through the film sequence for the next week."</p><p>Crap, I hadn't been listening when they had been introducing the singer this morning, and it wouldn't be professional to ask for his name now. Etsuko Hizuri might be a nervous wreck, but at least Emily Hart could fake it till she made it.</p><p>"Okay, I'll go pick him up. Is…anyone with him?" I winced as I crossed my fingers for more clues.</p><p>"One of the film crew said that he was spotted carrying a huge, half-body size stuffed Pikachu when he got off the plane, I guess you count that as someone," she chuckled into the phone.</p><p>"Alright then, I'll just follow the sounds of crackling thunderbolts in the lobby then," I laughed in return, and ended the call.</p><p>I sighed as I got up from the sofa next to the glass windows within the suite, changing out of the hotel's comfortable lounge clothes into Emily Hart's attire. At least it'd be easy to spot an Asian man among the white tourists in the hotel, better still if he was hauling a giant Pikachu around. In retrospect, that should have set off all the alarm bells in my head – alas, breathing in the same air as Trump for a month had made me a tad less sharp than I usually was.</p><p>Fingering the pokeball at the end of my necklace, like the pendant hidden under my tank top, I wondered how long more I would have to pretend I was someone I wasn't.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For the full experience, play Coldplay's single version of "Everglow" on loop for this chapter. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In contrast to the sleek elevator doors which slid soundlessly open, my low heels (or really Emily's, for who in their right mind would wear heels when sports shoes or flats were an option) clacked noisily as I crossed the polished hotel floors. Like a ghost, a shell of the joy that my disposition used to embody, my thoughts were occupied with the burden of how filming for the OST and ending tracks should be accomplished this week, alongside the additional shots that I would need to take of the artiste at the boardwalk, in the hotel, among other locations. I heaved a sigh and made my way to the lobby, trying to spot an oversized Pikachu in the process.</p><p>Instead of an oversized Pikachu, sitting right in the middle of the hotel lobby on its plush guest sofa, was another uncommon pokemon, decked in its non-fuzzy, un-pink disguise, with its lanky legs all set to trip the majority of the oncoming traffic.</p><p>It was a Jigglypuff.</p><p>Pokemon #39, one that Emily Hart should have been able to approach calmly, battled and then enslaved with a normal pokeball to do her bidding. But Etsuko, who struggled within to even take another step closer, would not have been able to approach or capture this Jigglypuff even with a dozen Master Balls, heck, she could have possessed all 21 dragon balls but she still wouldn't have dared to move a muscle. I stood rooted to the spot as my dark eyes met piercing blue, as my heart clenched like the angel of death was gripping said organ in his clutches, as if someone had written my name in a death note, though at least this behemoth of a Jigglypuff at least had the audacity to gape slightly. I vowed there and then that I wouldn't be able to look at him for the rest of the day, till I had enough time to process everything in the safety of my own hotel room tonight. Taking a deep gulp of air, though mostly useless (much like a dying Magikarp on land), I tore my eyes away from the one person I had wanted to see most, and coerced Emily to speak on my behalf.</p><p>"Yuuichi, good to see you again," I flashed a blinding, sickly sweet Tsuruga Ren-worthy gentlewoman smile in his general direction, yet refusing to meet his gaze. "Follow me to the conference room, we'll meet the rest of the production team there."</p><p>…</p><p>As the discussion for the shoot began, I (or rather, Emily) dominated the briefing regarding scheduling for the filming, while the real Etsuko had completely checked out for the day the moment Yuuichi had appeared in the lobby. Had I been so out of it in the morning that I hadn't heard Director Ogata say Yuuichi's name? Had my heart already become numb to anything related to this overgrown Jigglypuff? I tried to keep the tumult of emotions boiling within me like a tomato soup tsunami on as low of a fire as possible, taking multiple deep breaths (again, futile, because I was now a gasping Magikarp in a desert), and tentatively allowed myself to steal a glance at Yuuichi, who was seated diagonally opposite me across the dark oak boardroom table. Oh alright, it was definitely more than a glance, my gaze was riveted to Yuuichi the moment I stopped talking about the schedule and allowed the executive producer to take over.</p><p>Yuuuichi's lengthy arms were folded across his chest, his eyes slightly glazed over and now a muted shade of cobalt, as he nodded in agreement with the more senior producer regarding the overall feel of the theme song of the drama. I realised that the listless look that he had worn while being unsure of how to portray the emotions of his first music video had come back in full force. Was he that uncomfortable to be here in this meeting, or was he just uncomfortable being around me? Had he somehow managed to bury all his feelings about this said Pikachu within the past month, and finally decided that she wasn't worth all the effort? I wouldn't blame him though; interspecies relationships weren't always meant to be. I immediately slammed the brakes on that train of thought, for it was the steam engine of feels, carrying with it way too much emotional baggage for me to deal with at the present moment. However, the more I stared at Yuuichi, the more worried I became.</p><p>The dark circles around his eyes were extremely prominent, and the closer I looked, the realisation dawned on me that the only reason the ratio of his arms and torso to his bone structure seemed even less proportionate than before were because he had definitely lost 8.374 kilograms since the last time I saw him leaving my house. As I internally blamed my mother for passing this completely useless talent down to me, (heck, did he also lose bone density in the process?) I also noticed that all his fingers on his right hand had been bandaged at the tips, like he had been forcing himself to do nothing but play the guitar, willing the metal strings to make permanent indents on his fingers. Wincing in pain, I couldn't bear to look at Yuuichi any longer, and turned away.</p><p>As the meeting came to a close, if I had been looking up, I would have seen Yuuichi staring right back at me, with an agony that reflected a similar despair within his own heart, wondering if the Pikachu he kept close to his heart all this while still loved him back.</p><p>…</p><p>The boardroom slowly emptied, and my attempt at making a beeline for the door was thwarted by an overenthusiastic director of photography, who wanted to run through the blocking for the next day's shoot one final time. As I feigned a modicum of interest, I realised that Yuuichi, though standing politely beside the door of the conference room, seemed a tad nervous, and was engaging in some rather exaggerated fiddling with a corner of his casual blazer. After a candid five minutes of discussion and agreeing that we would meet on the boardwalk early the next morning with Yuuichi to ensure that the rehearsal would go smoothly, the director of photography took his leave from the conference room.</p><p>Leaving Yuuichi and I alone.</p><p>So I did the first rational thing that came to my mind – I bolted from the room. Well, those 8.374 kilograms he lost had surely made him even faster than before, if the hard thumps of his feet behind me were anything to go by.</p><p>"Et – Emily, wait, Emi-" Yuuichi hollered down the hotel corridor as I repeatedly slammed my finger against the button of the lift, somehow calling on all the powers of my past ancestors to open the elevator doors immediately. "Can you not run like a hunted turkey – "</p><p>As my prayers were answered and the lift doors glided open, my fearful, feathered, squawking hunted turkey ass in all its perfect glory and denial was almost able to get away when Yuuichi slammed his enormous, bandaged-at-the-tip right palm between the panels, glowering at me in the process. The elevator beeped and casually slid open, obviously not caring that this succulent turkey would be put directly on the menu if it did so. I drowned in Yuuichi's perfect sea blue eyes for just a moment, my inner Magikarp breathing normally for the first time since seeing him, as I felt a heated, crimson blush creep up my cheeks. I immediately turned to isolate myself by facing the back corner of the elevator, not wanting to become a weird Turkey-Fish hybrid in a frying pan.</p><p>"Yuuichi, just leave this turkey be," I pleaded quietly, while practicing perfect social distancing from the contagion of pheromones that I probably would catch and die by if I continued to look at him. "I…can't do this right now."</p><p>"Etsu, please just look at me, I –" all I heard was the desperation in Yuuichi's beautiful tenor, but I cut him off before he had the chance to bring me to tears there and then.</p><p>"No please, I… I don't want to be Etsu anymore, because all she knows is loneliness, and heartbreak," I whimpered, barely recognising my own voice as I quickly laid the bricks on the shaky emotional wall I was hastily attempting to build. "Let's just get through this week as Yuuichi the amazing OST singer, and Emily the…Turkey-ass producer, nothing more."</p><p>The elevator doors slid open, and I gave him a final, watery gaze. Leaving a downcast, muted Yuuichi within the lift, my heart clenched once again as I made my way out of the enclosed space. I had to practice safe distancing, but if I were to be truly honest with myself, no amount of distance was keeping my soul safe from the emotional wedge I had tried to force between Yuuichi and myself.</p><p>My heavy heart and similarly weighted footsteps paced around the lobby which I had exited, and as I lifted my head, I realised my turkey ass had subconsciously hauled itself in front of the hotel bistro, my stomach growling in objection to the lack of food it had ingested throughout the day. Heading towards the meat section of the buffet table and charging it to my room number, I barely paid attention to the dishes I heaped on the plate (yes, there was turkey, oh the irony), and refused to take notice of the heartbroken Jigglypuff staring straight at me. Emily, I would be Emily until I got back to Japan. I even promised Otousan. Emily would be mildly annoyed of Yuuichi, he was just a starlet who wanted attention. I channelled a bit more of Emily to the surface, finally daring to meet Yuuichi's gaze again.</p><p>What I wasn't prepared for was Yuuichi, staring right back at me with a wan smile, and making his way toward the grand piano in the hotel lobby. What in the world was he trying to do? Was that a microphone, and an amplifier? Where the heck did Yuuichi manage to conjure those from, or was the sadistic, omnipotent narrator of my sad, fowl life just exercising excessive creative liberties? The cannibalistic turkey within me shoved a spoonful of food down my throat as I fought back both my curiosity and anxiety with a side of delicious cranberry sauce, while the locks around my heart that I was trying so desperately to keep intact were now threatening to break apart at the seams.</p><p>Before my fears could consume me, the gentle tinkling of piano keys filled the entire hotel lobby, just as Yuuichi's angelic singing pierced through the cacophony of voices within my head, rendering me incapable of doing anything but listen to the one voice I had missed so dearly.</p><p>"<em>Well they say people come,<br/></em><em>They say people go,<br/></em><em>This particular diamond,<br/></em><em>Was extra special<br/></em><em>Though you might be gone,<br/></em><em>And the world may not know,<br/></em><em>Still I see you, celestial<br/></em><em>And I should, but I can't let you go</em></p><p>
  <em>When I'm cold, cold,<br/></em>
  <em>Yeah when I'm cold, cold<br/></em>
  <em>There's a light that you give me,<br/></em>
  <em>When I'm in shadow,<br/></em>
  <em>There's a feeling you give me, an everglow."</em>
</p><p>There was a stunning moment of clarity and silence in my mind. The whirlwind of emotions, thoughts, fears, anger – the incessant howling suddenly came to a peaceful, brilliant standstill, and the world dimmed around everything but Yuuichi.</p><p>"<em>But the changing of winds, and the way waters flow<br/></em><em>Life is short as the falling of snow,<br/></em><em>And I have missed you, I know."</em></p><p>I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take; he was even changing the lyrics, and that wasn't playing fair. Had he really missed me? Could I allow myself to believe that he hadn't given up on me, or on us, yet?</p><p>"<em>But when I'm cold, cold,<br/></em><em>In water rolled, salt,<br/></em><em>And I know that you're with me<br/></em><em>And the way you will show,<br/></em><em>And you're with me wherever I go<br/></em><em>And you give me this feeling, this everglow."</em></p><p>It was now or never. I knew this song, this instrumental, these last few lyrics. It was make or break. If I didn't leave now, didn't turn away from this beautiful angel, I would never be able to leave Yuuichi again. I would never be able to function without him, as I had somewhat poorly attempted to in the past month. Before I knew it, I was running up the hotel's stairs to my room.</p><p>"<em>What I wouldn't give for just a moment to hold</em><br/><em>Because I live for this feeling, this everglow."</em></p><p>I should have known that my endeavour was completely futile, with the last lock around my heart opening even before Yuuichi could sing the final line, right as I was about to hide within the safety of my suite.</p><p>
  <em>"So if you love someone, you should let them know<br/></em>
  <em>Oh, the light that you gave me will everglow."</em>
</p>
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<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Slamming the suite door a tad too loudly, I ditched my heels, tore off the offending red wig and huddled under the sheets, willing my heart to cease its incessant beating. The whole day had been utterly surreal – Otousan calling me and essentially telling me that he knew I had a not-so-secret secret identity, Yuuichi rising from the depths of the dead right here in California, being completely denied my dinner because of his unearthly tear-jerking voice – I could go on and on but that would induce more heartache which I didn't really want to deal with. Taking a deep breath, I attempted to compartmentalise the whole day, and was almost done with taping my cardboard box of feelings away when an urgent rapping sounded at my door. When the offending person at the other end refused to go away even after I did my best impression of an ostrich sticking its head under the soft pillows for a full five minutes, I sighed and made my way to the door, betting my bottom dollar that it probably was Yuuichi, who was probably going to tell me to stop hiding from him.</p><p>I opened the door, revealing a red-faced, exasperated Yuuichi.</p><p>"Thank goodness Etsuko I thought you were ignoring me on purpose – "</p><p>Bam! Before I could even process what I was doing, I had slammed the door shut on this weirdly reticent version of Jigglypuff and willed the apparition to go away. I had seen him so many times the past month, in my own head, so it wasn't so far-fetched that my mind had just hallucinated him being around the whole day, right? I was just tired, and out of it, and – and why was the door beeping open by itself? My eyes widened the size of dinner plates as the traitorous door tentatively swung open, and suddenly a very grumpy Yuuuichi trudged in, closing the seemingly faulty door behind him and didn't stop pacing in my direction until he was just an arm's length away from me.</p><p>"You ignored me on purpose," his icy, crystal blue gaze pierced accusingly at me.</p><p>"Shucks why does this nightmare seem so real – " I muttered under my breath as I tried to look anywhere but at the gorgeous specimen in front of me.</p><p>"Because I <em>am</em> real, and also because you are still ignoring me," Yuuichi inched his face downwards, and closer to mine.</p><p>"It's not like I texted Yuuichi, you know, this boy who said he loved me and then disappeared, leaving me to cry for a solid month wondering when he'd return and then all of a sudden he appears like a wild Pokemon," I rambled, stubbornly refused to meet his stare, looking down at the carpet, hoping he was feeling at least a tinge of guilt, but most of all hoping that he wasn't able to hear the tremors in my voice or the hammering of my heart.</p><p>"This Yuuichi boy sounds like a piece of shit," Yuuichi chuckled a bit under his breath, his tone softening a little. "For what its worth, I think he is sorry for everything he's done, especially for making you cry."</p><p>"Are you sure about that?" I willed myself to look at him, and suddenly his gentle palms were cupping my cheek, brushing away the tears that I didn't even notice had started falling.</p><p>"He's definitely beaten the crap out of himself already, with a whole lot of self-loathing," Yuuichi breathed out softly, his adam's apple bobbing ever so slightly as he choked on his own words, "he…he's wondering if the love of his life could ever forgive him."</p><p>I didn't trust myself to reply without bawling, but there was so much to overcome – I still needed answers to why he disappeared a month ago, what he had been doing since, what he knew about my family, why was he even here in California (I bet my second bottom dollar on the ever meddling Lory Takarada), and even how this giraffe of a Jigglypuff had just nonchalantly let himself into my hotel room. Yuuichi must have sensed my hesitation, huffing in slight amusement and breaking into a wan smile.</p><p>"I'm Yuuichi by the way, and the love of my life is you, Etsu," the tenderness in his voice had to be all levels of illegal. "Also, you must be hungry, seeing how you bolted from the café earlier. I packed supper for you. Also I want to explain myself while you eat, so you don't try to run away from me for the third time today."</p><p>Just as he brought the three overflowing packed bags of food into view, the scent of fried rice, tempura and gyoza wafted throughout the room, and my traitorous dietary organ gurgled in anticipation, my eyes lighting up for the first time in a long time.</p><p>This beautiful, perfect human being.</p><p>I knew my expressions had completely betrayed me as Yuuichi's face burst into a delighted grin, having conquered the first barrier of my heart's defences purely through appealing to my stomach. Before I could pretend to dampen my enthusiasm, Yuuichi set the food on the nearby coffee table, then enveloped my own hands with his wide palms, and pressed his forehead to mine. If my face wasn't already strawberry red from his proximity, I would have safely said that the volcano Mt Etsuko was about to erupt.</p><p>"You've got so much explaining to do, a whole crap ton of explaining," I huffed silently, averting my gaze from his before I experienced my fifth meltdown of the evening, "and…I missed you so much."</p><p>Yuuichi chuckled as his face nuzzled mine.</p><p>"I know."</p><p>…</p><p>Yuuichi clearly had forgotten how I ate, as we sat comfortably across from each other at the coffee table and I devoured portion after portion of fried rice, tempura and dumplings, with him looking on incredulously as the servings vanished before his eyes. His amusement was evident as he began to methodically recount what he'd gone through in the past month, and how he had ended up as the artiste for the songs of the current mini-series.</p><p>"Wait, before you go into detail, I have a bet with myself – did President Lory send you here?"</p><p>"Yes he did," Yuuichi's trademark smirk flashed across his face. "Why would you even bet with yourself, what would you get as a prize?"</p><p>"Shush, my two last brain cells like the rigour of thought. Also, yes I was right!" I thrust my chopsticks in the air in mock triumph as garlic spewed from my mouth.</p><p>"Chew with your mouth closed, you adorable geyser," Yuuichi's eyes sparkled with mirth, then his face grew slightly more serious. "Actually, I asked to be involved in the mini-series because I… I wanted to see you again and attempt to apologise, for everything. Boy did the President tear a new one through me, but he agreed in the end. At first, I was supposed to come only for two days, beg for your forgiveness and then leave, but when I was waiting for my connecting flight to LA, I received a cryptic, petrifying phone call from a certain Tsuruga Ren, telling me to watch you like a hawk for the rest of the week."</p><p>"Emily Hart had a similar experience this morning, I don't suppose you know what brought that on."</p><p>"Absolutely no idea, just that he was saying that you weren't safe here, but at the same time, shouldn't do anything out of the ordinary that would draw the attention of Sakura."</p><p>"Wait – he didn't mention Sakura to me," the crispy tempura prawn that was halfway towards my mouth halted abruptly as I set my beloved snack and chopsticks back into the cardboard box.</p><p>"Unfortunately, he didn't go into details. Also, that's why the President got you to move into this suite as well, so that I can take the other bedroom on the pretext that I have an…unusual relationship with Emily Hart. Your father also mentioned that anything linking you to him, or your grandparents here would be very dangerous, even more so than my presence, the embodiment of stalker extraordinaire Fuwa Shotaro," Yuuichi let out a grim sigh.</p><p>"Yeah…there's that too, care to explain that bit?" I muttered, half processing that he would be staying in the same suite for the whole week, and my brain involuntarily grew a pair of lungs just so it could start metaphorically hyperventilating. Trying to distract myself from that train of thought, I pushed a dumpling around the takeaway container before spearing it a bit too violently, Yuuichi's eyes widening a little as I viciously tore the innocent gyoza in two.</p><p>"Is it strange that I'm more attracted to you when you're brutally taking it out on your food?"</p><p>I glowered at him for a while and rudely pointed my chopsticks at him, feeling my cheeks heat up in both embarrassment and indignation, ready to tackle the offending Jigglypuff. This Pikachu wouldn't go down without a snap, crackle and a million-watt lightning bolt pop. Yuuichi raised his hands in mock surrender, chuckled and continued.</p><p>"In my sloppy defence, I actually didn't put two and two together, until I thought a bit harder about the description of the man who took your brothers away when they were in kindergarten, and that was only just before new year's day," chagrin and remorse flitted over his face. "I should have known it was my father much sooner, and I'm sorry about that. There's more that I should tell you too, but…"</p><p>At that point Yuuichi's voice shifted to a much quieter baritone, like there were two or three warring factions within him that wanted to spew all different kinds of beans (baked beans, green beans, string beans, who knew); but he settled into a tentative silence instead. I couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind, and now that I could be myself in front of him without having to worry about having to put on the pretence of being Emily, I didn't want Yuuichi to have to keep pretending to be someone else either. This beautiful, sweet, yet somewhat idiotic man needed time to reveal all his secrets, and if it brought him comfort to know that I would give him space to process everything that was going on, he could take all the time he needed.</p><p>"It's okay, you don't have to explain everything at once," I stood up, hefting the empty takeaway boxes in my arms as I cleared the coffee table. "What matters is that you're here now, and that I'm never letting you out of my sight again. I want you, no matter what we find out about your past, or mine. Although I do have one condition."</p><p>"And what's that?" Yuuichi's eyebrow quirked up in amusement.</p><p>"You need to start this completely denying any relationship with Sakura if she continues to insinuate it, because you're mine, and I will positively lose my shit if I hear her call you her boyfriend one more time."</p><p>I could have sworn I heard Yuuichi growl <em>"Shit that's hot" </em>under his breath, before his voice dropped another octave. "Possessive much, but before you forget, you're mine too."</p><p>Giving him a pointed look before I stepped into the mini kitchenette, my eyes sparkled as I smirked at him.</p><p>"I know."</p><p>…</p><p>The rest of the evening was less eventful as I poured over the storyboards and film schedule for the rest of the week, trying to figure out which shots we would anchor the concept of the music video on, while sneaking as many glances as I could as Yuuichi paced around the suite, unpacking, and then washing up after his own long day. I blushed as I heard the shower run, wondering to myself why this strange man of a President would advocate two teenagers of different genders, and who obviously had the hots for each other, staying in the same hotel room, although both my parents would tell me years down the road that it was completely fine. (Who the HECK tells their daughter that this is fine?)</p><p>Trying to concentrate on the music video again, I counted to a hundred in English, Japanese, and slightly broken Russian before Yuuichi finally stepped out of the bathroom, hair damp and wearing a insanely-soft looking grey sweatshirt and flannel pants that were giving me strange ideas about becoming a boa-constrictor and hugging a Jigglypuff to death. He shuffled towards the lounge area, and I looked up from the spread of storyboards on the coffee table, immediately regretting it as my traitorous face flushed another shade of unnatural red.</p><p>"Etsu, I'm heading to bed first, in the other room," his gaze was soft and warm as he stifled a yawn. "It's been a long day for me, hunting down scared turkeys."</p><p>"Technically you didn't really catch the turkey, you just barged into her coop," I hugged my knees closer to my chest, averting my gaze as my face heated up another 5 degrees.</p><p>"Well I guess you're cooped up with me for the next week," he grinned cheekily. "Your turn to wash up, you should rest early too."</p><p>I nodded in acknowledgement and packed up the materials on the coffee table, remembering that both of us needed to meet the director of photography in the morning. Padding silently across the hardwood floors to the washroom, I ran a quick shower for myself, and somewhat inwardly hoped that I was causing Yuuichi the same embarrassment that he did to me. Somehow the old adage of absence makes the heart fonder suddenly made sense, and there was something within me that wanted to experience all these emotions with him, and hoped deep down that he wanted to feel the same way as well.</p><p>As I stepped out of the shower and glanced at the steam-fogged mirror, it hit me that Yuuichi had always, or at least to the best of his abilities, been honest with me when I needed it, and that we were both in the process of learning how to trust and let each other in. He was growing braver at facing his own feelings – heck, he basically sang that he loved me hours ago in the hotel lobby, but I hadn't said it back yet. Looking at my own reflection, I realised that in spite of all my own insecurities and doubts, if Yuuichi could love me, then possibly, I could learn to love and believe in myself as well. Possibly, I could be brave enough to stand on my own two feet in showbiz, blaze my own trail in the business, and stare my own shortcomings straight in the face.</p><p>Just as I was about to head to bed, I realised that Yuuichi had fallen asleep with bedside lamp was still on, and his eyebrows had furrowed sharply as the light shone on his face. I mused internally that he didn't need the lamp to illuminate his own brilliance, grinning inwardly as I turned off the lamp, then watching as his forehead released the tension it was holding and his face relaxed into a soft expression that immediately melted my heart. My insides ached as I struggled with my own emotions. I had spent the entire month at war with my own infallible logic, knowing what I should do – I should lay low, I should be the best junior producer I could, I should encourage my brothers, especially Kichirou, to face his own fears. But this month, I'd almost never done something I wanted to do.</p><p>Before I could overthink or talk myself out of it, I did something I truly wanted to do, for the first time in a long time.</p><p>I climbed right into bed with Yuuichi, and tucked myself into his warm arms.</p><p>Unfortunately, I wasn't as stealthy as I had hoped I was, and as the top of my head settled under his chin, a gentle rumble started in Yuuichi's broad chest, as I breathed in a lungful of his scent (mint! again!), put one arm around his waist and pulled him closer, so he wouldn't have to see my flame red cheeks.</p><p>"Either I'm dreaming, or your father has murdered me and I've gone to heaven," his voice sounded strained as his palms seemed to hover at the small of my back.</p><p>"Neither," I breathed, revelling in the warmth that was rolling off in waves from his body. Why was he so warm?</p><p>I took another deep breath of Yuuichi and realised there was no better time than the present to make things right on my end. Also, this would be the one time I wouldn't have to look at his face while spewing my own secrets, so at least that would save me a bit of the embarrassment that I knew was about to course through my own veins.</p><p>"Yuuichi…I…I met your mother last week. I realised she taught me in elementary school, and…I finally realised you're Jigglypuff," I let out a breath that I didn't realise I'd been holding, clutching a little tighter at his soft grey sweatshirt, the tip of my ears blazing hot and my voice breaking a little. "You…you knew who my parents were eons ago, and you've been there for me since I was a little Pichu. And somehow, you're here still."</p><p>My revelation was met with a moment of silence, just before I felt Yuuichi's impossibly strong arms envelope me, dragging me a little more into his embrace, his large palm running up and down my back in a soothing motion as my own happy tears started to soak the front of his shirt. But I couldn't stop – the floodgates were open, and I continued babbling.</p><p>"And…and I don't care what you've found out about our parents and their history, and I don't care what we're about to find out, but I know that want to be with you after all this is over, if you'll have me."</p><p>Yuuichi continued soothing me until my choked sobs became gentle hiccups, and I felt him place a tentative kiss on the top of my head.</p><p>"Etsu, I haven't told you before, heck, I haven't told anyone at all, but I want to," he let out a tender sigh, and continued, "When I found out that my dad cared more for your mother instead of my own, it broke my heart in two. But I made a decision when I was twelve – that if I loved someone, I would do everything I could for that special person, and I wouldn't push her away on purpose."</p><p>Yuuichi let out a shaky breath, and it was my turn to run a gentle hand up and down his side.</p><p>"Then…I pushed you away, right after you had accepted me, and it shattered what was left of my soul, and…I don't know if I would ever be able to forgive myself. I should be asking you if you'll have me, even after all I've done, and all I've kept from you."</p><p>I shushed him, and for the first time in that eternity of fifteen minutes of intense emotions and body contact, I allowed myself to stare into his azure eyes, which were now dark as midnight as he looked down at me.</p><p>"Just now you sang '<em>if you love someone, you should let them know',</em> so…<em>"</em> my lips curved to a wan smile, just as I leaned forwards to kiss Yuuichi lightly on his cheek, "this is me letting you know."</p><p>Yuuichi let out a light gurgle as I began flushing from the roots of my hair all the way to my ankles, and I burrowed my head back into the crook of his shoulder before I could see any other reaction he was giving, save the one where he clutched my own pyjamas just a little bit tighter. Another moment passed, and just as I thought he'd somehow fallen back asleep, I heard him breathe out a contented sigh, muttering slightly under his breath.</p><p>"I know."</p>
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